Ephemeral Flames of Vengeance and Desire
by Quatermass
Summary: (Harry/Jalter!) One last betrayal from the country he saved sent Harry through the Veil, and into another world, where a different sort of magic exists. Learning of the plight of a young Sakura Matou, Harry summons an Avenger Servant, who turns out to be a twisted form of Jeanne d'Arc. Can these two damaged souls find peace and even love? Or are they doomed to fall into darkness?
1. Foreword

**FOREWORD**

Well, this was a saga to write, and no mistake. After playing something of _Fate/Grand Order_, I, along with many other fans of the Nasuverse, was fascinated by the character of Jeanne d'Arc Alter, aka Jalter, a dark mirror of the famous saint. However, trying to pair her with Harry was a hard thing to do. After all, Jalter was an unrepentant mass-murderer, and while there are Nasuverse characters with higher bodycounts, many of them either did so during war, or else repent their actions.

Eventually, I hit on the solution of having a DIFFERENT version of Jalter to the _Fate/Grand Order_ version summoned. One who would be with Harry before she encounters Gilles de Rais, and who would grow and learn. I was torn between doing this as a _Fate/Apocrypha_ fic, and as a _Fate/Zero_ fic, as both have very interesting potential in having Jalter interact with either her original self, or else with Gilles. The circumstances around her creation also allows her to have a number of contradictory elements to her character that will, eventually, get resolved.

It was a pretty tough story to write, and I almost gave up on this story completely, back when it was called _Vengeance Conflagration_ in my sample chapters anthologies. But after taking a short break from the story, I found I could come back to it. This is the result.

Anyway, time for the usual disclaimers. Firstly, there will be spoilers for both Harry Potter and _Fate/Zero_.

Secondly, there will be heavy annotations, as is usual for my works. You have been warned.

Thirdly, this is an M-Rated work. There will be coarse language, violence, and sexual references. Again, you have been warned.

Finally, the following is a fan-written work. Harry Potter and _Fate/Zero_ are the properties of their respective owners. Please support the official release. Otherwise, Jalter will set you on fire…


	2. Chapter 1: Emergence

**CHAPTER 1:**

**EMERGENCE**

The Greater Grail. A veritable miracle, a relic that is said to be divine, even if it was not the Holy Grail that was the drinking vessel of Jesus Christ. A spectacular feat of magecraft, the likes of which had not been seen since the Age of the Gods, and probably would never be topped again.

But despite its near-divinity, the Greater Grail contained something of the diabolic. Not because of the sacrifice of a virtually human Homunculus that went into it, for Justeaze von Einzbern went to her fate willingly, intending to bring back her family's lost glories, and the True Magic it had lost centuries before, Heaven's Feel. A potent magic that, through the manipulation and materialisation of the soul, could even bring about immortality or the resurrection of the dead.

The Greater Grail was at the centre of the Holy Grail War, a battle royale between a septet of Magi and Heroic Spirits, heroes from all times, from history and myth, that were summoned as familiars known as Servants. These seven Magi coveted the Holy Grail, for it could grant any wish they desired, once six of the seven Servants perished, and their energy primed the Grail. In certain circumstances, it could even allow the winner to access Akasha, the Root of All Things, a primal collection of knowledge and power that was tempting to every Magus.

However, it was the recklessness of Justeaze's successors that led to something else within the Greater Grail. A canker, a rot, a tumour of darkness. What the von Einzberns had considered a trump card, but turned out to be a damp squib, had now corrupted the core of their prized possession. They had summoned in the Third Holy Grail War an atypical Servant, Avenger, hoping it would wipe out the competition, but it was wiped out instead, much to their not inconsiderable annoyance. But they gave little thought to the fact that their attempt to fuck around with the rules wouldn't have consequences.

Even now, it lurked within the Greater Grail, a Devil in the details. Its form shifted continuously. At one moment, it seemed to be a bestial humanoid shadow. In another, it appeared to be a darkened, corrupted version of Justeaze herself, wearing her white hair and crimson eyes, but wearing a blackened version of an elegant dress. And in yet another, it appeared to be a rather unremarkable young man with tanned skin etched with elaborate tribal tattoos. They were all the same entity, named for a Zoroastrian god of evil, a deity that shouldn't have been able to be summoned, but was.

Angra Mainyu.

Angra Mainyu was watching events, albeit dimly. It knew that this Grail War would finally bring the time when it would be set free, to unleash the stored curses upon the world. So, who would unleash it? The foolish Clock Tower Magi seeking glory? The tired assassin who became an equaliser, not caring about morality, and desiring salvation? The foppish fool desiring the Root, and who had discarded his youngest child to perdition? The priest with a hollow soul, seeking answers? That had been a fun one to ensnare, he promised to be entertaining. Oh, and there was the serial killer, who sought joy and entertainment in death.

The serial killer had summoned his Servant, a Caster, rather sooner than Angra Mainyu had thought. Gilles de Rais, aka Bluebeard, once one of Jeanne d'Arc's most ardent supporters, fallen into depravity. His wish was to revive Jeanne d'Arc, no matter what.

It was that wish that made Angra Mainyu sneer, and yet, pause for thought. It had been an atypical Servant in the previous Grail War. Who was to say another atypical Servant couldn't be summoned? Of course, Jeanne d'Arc, if she would be summoned, was most likely to be summoned as a Ruler, and leaving aside the fact that circumstances didn't warrant a Ruler, Angra Mainyu didn't want a pure saint spoiling its fun.

Ah, but an Avenger? That had potential. True, Jeanne d'Arc was a touch too pure and pious to be an Avenger. Her dark side existed, but it'd be weaker than he was. However, Angra Mainyu could work its way around that. Using Gilles' opinions on what she should have been after being burned at the stake as well as an edited version of her memories (filched from the Throne of Heroes) as a template, Angra Mainyu began concocting a brand spanking new Heroic Spirit. It was pretty hard work, but it knew that the results would be so worth it in terms of chaos.

Angra Mainyu even had a Master who'd be desperate enough to use her. A new arrival in Fuyuki, relatively speaking, one whose magic was very different to these paltry Magi. One whose thoughts hummed and buzzed with anger and resentment…and particularly hatred, towards one of the would-be players. Righteous anger and hatred, but that would blind him to the trap that lay beneath his feet before it was too late. Even if Jeanne d'Arc as an Avenger and this magic user didn't win, the sheer chaos they would cause would alleviate Angra Mainyu's tedium. Even now, it let out a metaphysical snicker at the thought.

Angra Mainyu didn't know it, but its choice of pawns would backfire spectacularly. Then again, that was in the nature of the beast. For an entity that was the embodiment of All the World's Evils, it forgot that, even in the most broken, wrathful and cynical heroes, there was still a capacity for great good…

* * *

"…Bastard," snarled a pain-filled voice, echoing around the darkened chapel. "Goes to show, the wizards here are even worse than back home…ugh, can't believe I am saying that. But I doubt even most Purebloods would knowingly and willingly let their children be thrown into a dungeon filled with _worms_ that **_RAPE THEM!_**"

The scream of anger and hatred echoed around the normally solemn space. "…And then that bastard altered their memories. At least Aoi and Rin thought it wrong, but that bastard, that complete and utter monster, he wiped their memories! So, not content with letting his youngest get pretty much get raped by worms, he goes ahead and rapes the minds of the rest of his family. TOKIOMI TOHSAKA, YOU SMUG, BEARDED TWAT! _I WILL __**KILL**__ YOU! AND I WILL TAKE! MY! __**TIIIIIME(**__**1)**__**!**_"

As the echoes from the scream died away, it was replaced with a soft, bleak chuckle. "Merlin, I'm really losing it. A couple of years in Azkaban thanks to that bastard Snape and then another few months as a Basilisk Animagus in another world does _wonders_ for one's mental health. Though it's helped my eyesight. Don't even need glasses anymore. Or maybe it's what Sakura and Kariya are going through."

The one responsible for the racket moves into a patch of moonlight. A lanky scarecrow of a young man. His messy mop of dark hair framed haggard and drawn features, and almost hid a lightning-shaped scar, now faded. One of his arms was wrapped in crude bandages, and his clothing was mostly rags. His emerald eyes seemed to shine in the darkness, and had a vaguely reptilian look.

"He deserves to die," he muttered, apparently more to hear the sound of his own voice than anything. Not out of egotism, but a need to hear something, even if it was merely vocalising the thoughts rattling around his skull. "But…I need to find out how. He bested me. Okay, I went in stupid and angry, even though I arranged for Aoi and Rin to be there, but I thought I could kill him. I mean, I managed to stop Voldemort, even though that was due to a metric fuckton of luck. And Dumbledore shifting around a lot of pieces on his little chessboard. And he didn't care how much of a vindictive little fuck Snape was. Wait, where was I? Ah, that's right. Dealing with Tokiomi Tohsaka. So…how to beat a wizard who is more experienced and ruthless than me? And…if what I overheard from him and that worm-riddled Voldemort wannabe, to say nothing of those priests…it'll be even more difficult to deal with them when they summon these Servants."

Echoes of his own voice were his only reply. Eventually, he said, "…I'll need to summon one myself. If I knew how to."

There was a sudden clatter from another part of the chapel, and the young man whirled. After a moment, he carefully advanced on where the noise was, only to find that a piece of old furniture, once a cupboard, had fallen apart. And there was a book there. Gingerly, cautiously, he opened the book, and flicked through it. "…Instructions on how to summon a Servant," he muttered, before looking at the arcane ritual circle on the floor nearby. "That's convenient. Suspiciously so. Then again…what have I got to lose? I've nothing else but my life."

With that, he went over to the faded ritual circle, consulting a diagram in the book and ensuring that it matched up. Eventually, he began reading from the book, his hand out as he tried to push his magic into the circle. "_Heed my words. My will creates your body, and your sword creates my destiny. If you heed the Grail's call, and obey my will and reason, then answer my summoning! I hereby swear that I shall be all the good in the world, that I shall defeat all evil in the world!_"

And then, he saw the notes next to it, and he added them, on an impulse. "_You, who have been grievously wronged and wish for retribution, I, the summoner, will gladly grant you the opportunity for revenge!_" The magical circle was flaring with azure light. He couldn't stop speaking the words even if he wanted to. Distantly, he felt a sting in his right hand, but it was nothing compared to the pain he had felt before, many times over. "_Seventh Heaven clad, and the great words of power, come forth from the circle of bindings, Guardian of the Scales!_"

Actinic light belched forth from the sigil, briefly blinding him. When he blinked away the afterimage from his eyes, he found himself with a sword at his throat. Because _of course_ his luck would be that bad.

"Servant, Avenger," came a beautiful, musical but cold voice, with a French accent, belonging to the owner of the sword, and the arm wielding it. "I have come upon your summons." The sword was drawn away from his throat, and emerald eyes met golden ones.

The girl was about his age, late teens to early twenties. Her skin and hair were ghostly pale, her beauty absolute and yet cruel, her armour and clothes as black as pitch. She wielded a flagpole in the hand that didn't wield her sword. She was studying him, before she smiled. He should have been disturbed by that cruel smile, but his time in Azkaban and his betrayal had numbed him to such things. "Ah, how very interesting. I know the look you have. That look…it's filled with feelings I know all too well. Despair. Anger. The desire for…_retribution_. Very well then…the pact has been sealed."

"…What, just like that?" he asked.

"Well, I could make you jump through some hoops for my amusement, but I get the feeling I won't need to. You find our enemies, Master, and I will roast them alive in the fires of perdition."

"…You know, I should be disturbed by that, but considering that at least two of my potential enemies deserve a lot more than that…"

"Oh? I see the glint of righteous anger in your eyes, _n'est-ce pas?_"

"…Crest Worms. Do you know what they are?"

At this, her eyes narrowed. "…I am listening. _Intently_."

"…Long story short, if you know anything about what they do to people…there's a six year old girl who is forced to lie in a pit filled with those things almost every night," he said grimly. "There's also a guy trying to rescue her from the family who is willingly allowing those things to eat him from the inside out so he can become a Master. I thought the man who adopted her out to that vile family was just ignorant…but he knew. He FUCKING KNEW THAT HIS DAUGHTER WOULD BE SUBJECTED TO FUCKING CREST WORMS! And he managed to beat me before I could kill him." He indicated his bandaged arm. "He set my arm on fire. I've managed to heal it somewhat with the little healing magic I knew, but…"

"I see…" Avenger frowned, as if contemplating something. "Then you intend to save the girl from her fate? Then what of your wish on the Grail?"

"…I'm not sure. Maybe it's to get back home. I…don't come from this world, I've realised. Magic's different here. Or maybe I can use it to bring some people I care about back to life. As long as you're not going to use it to kill everyone in the world or something like that, I don't care."

"Oh? And if I did have such a wish, how would you stop me?"

"…I'd ask nicely. And if not…" He held up his hand with the Command Seals. They looked like a symmetrical flame shape, he realised. "I use all three of these to have you kill yourself."

"Ooh, how bold of you to declare such intent," Avenger smirked. "I could slice your hand off if I wanted to, and find myself a new Master. Still…I'm not sure what my wish on the Grail would be myself, and it's certainly nothing so…destructive. Maybe it's…" She shook her head.

"…As long as you only go after the people I ask you to, then it's fine," he said. "In fact, you can take all the time you want, as long as it doesn't get us killed."

After a moment, she grinned, widely. "Excellent. I think we shall get along swimmingly. And your mental defences are pretty good. So…I think I should tell you my True Name, and in exchange, I have yours. I am the dark side of Jeanne d'Arc…or perhaps I should say, to be more precise, I am Jeanne d'Arc Alter!"

He stared at her in shock, before he realised that she was waiting for his reply. He could try and work out the implications of being paired with the dark side of one of history's most famous saints later. "…Nice to meet you, Jeanne d'Arc-Side," he said, with only the bad pun being sincere. Her wince and scowl showed him what she thought of it. "I am Harry Potter."

"…Hmm, what a dull name. And shared with two of the kings who invaded my country. Still…I guess I can overlook that if you bring me victory. Now, Harry Potter…what do we do next?"

"Get ready to make our move against Tokiomi Tohsaka, and Zouken Matou. They will pay for what they have done, and continue to do…"

**CHAPTER 1 ANNOTATIONS:**

**Oh dear. Has Angra Mainyu drawn a trump card for himself, or will its meddling backfire with this most unlikely team?**

**It's worth pointing out that this is NOT the Jalter from ****_Fate/Grand Order_****. While she will act the same way in many regards, the vital part is that, unlike the game, where she is summoned by Gilles de Rais, here, Harry is her summoner. While Gilles directed her to indiscriminate slaughter, Harry, while jaded, cynical, and more ruthless than he was before, is still moral enough to direct her only to kill those who deserve it. We'll learn a bit more about what caused Harry to end up first in Azkaban, and then in the Nasuverse, and what transpired to have him confront, unsuccessfully, Tokiomi. Anyway, Harry will be the closest thing she has to a conscience, and while you can ignore your conscience…well…**

**It's also worth pointing out that Gilles was summoned about some days prior to his canonical summoning, to allow Jalter enough time to get to know Harry.**

**1\. Harry's hammy outburst is a reference to a similar line Hyde utters in Episode 3 of ****_Jekyll_****.**


	3. Chapter 2: Consternation

**CHAPTER 2:**

**CONSTERNATION**

Kirei Kotomine was troubled. Not that this was a particularly unusual state of affairs for the young priest and former Executor of the Burial Agency of the Holy Church. He despised himself, his inability to take joy in anything, save for the suffering of others. He was being used as a pawn by Tokiomi Tohsaka and Kirei's father, Risei. Admittedly, if there was one person in the world he was utterly loyal to, it was his father, and he was willing to obey his edicts and by extension Tokiomi's, if only it would get him the answers he sought.

In fact, it was the questions he wanted answered that perturbed Kirei most of all lately. Why had the Grail chosen him, of all people, to be a Master? And so early, too? Three years prior to the Grail War, he'd received Command Seals, the stigmata marking him as a Master. It was this desire for answers, in fact, that had him agreeing to Tokiomi and Risei's little plan more than any loyalty to his father, no matter what Risei Kotomine thought. Perhaps the Holy Grail, even if it wasn't the cup of Christ and thus one of the most coveted relics of the Church, would provide him his answers to his existence.

He had been ordered to summon his Servant early. Specifically, an Assassin Servant, one of the many holders of the title Hassan-i Sabbah. It was his father who found the relic, a skull-like mask belonging to one of the later holders of the title, known as the Hundred-Faced Hassan. Their special ability, born of a multiple personality disorder they had in life and which they exploited for their missions, allowed them to create nearly a hundred distinct bodies. It was all part of a plan they had to fake Assassin's death so that they could use Assassin as a scout without anyone being any the wiser.

However, he could hear his father and Tokiomi arguing over their covert communication device (which resembled an old gramophone) about what had just happened. Apparently, some Magus of unknown power had infiltrated the Tohsaka estate, somehow transforming themselves into a snake. Rin had apparently adopted it as a pet when she realised it was friendly. However, said snake was, at least according to Tokiomi (and Kirei was sure that the dandyish Magus was lying through his teeth), an assassin who tried to kill him, only to be repulsed. Risei was probing Tokiomi, but the man was proving recalcitrant and unwilling to discuss the matter, insisting on checking the plausibility of using Assassin to track this man down.

Kirei merely waited until the conversation was over, and his father approached, the burly older man looking a little shaken despite his usual serenity. "I take it you heard that, my son?"

"Indeed, or at least I caught the gist of it. Tokiomi seems…unusually worried."

"Not only that, but far more secretive than his usual manner," Risei said. "If anything, he was panicking. He seemed to be hiding something, far more than one would expect from a Magus. He is an old friend, I have learned to tell what the cues are. While it is concerning that a Magus has this ability, and was able to infiltrate Tokiomi's estate, if he was an assassin, he could have killed Tokiomi off far more covertly, instead of forcing a more overt confrontation. No…I think my old friend is lying to us. This isn't to say that this mysterious Magus isn't a threat to his life or his plan, far from it. But I feel ill at ease, my son. Tokiomi is not only hiding something, but covering it up in a manner that is far less elegant than he usually would. He wants us to use Assassin to track down and kill this mysterious Magus as soon as possible. He also asked…well, _demanded_ that I have you put Assassin to watching Kariya Matou. Until now, he seemed to think Kariya's involvement in the Grail War to be a cause of some amusement. Now, it seems to be of some actual concern."

"Then what are your thoughts on this, father?"

"…I don't know. The Tohsaka bloodline has made many enemies over the centuries, even before the Holy Grail War was established. However, I doubt it is an organised assassination attempt. I believe that the mystery Magus stumbled across a secret of Tokiomi's while spying on the behalf of a third party, and either attempted to blackmail him about it, or found it objectionable. It is the latter that truly disturbs me. The Tohsaka family has many skeletons in the closet, I am sure…but what if there was something that I would take issue with? Is that why Tokiomi wants him dead? Regardless, I intend to be more measured than Tokiomi, and capture this Magus for questioning. I want to be absolutely certain as to why Tokiomi wants him dead."

"I see. Should I send Assassin after him?"

"We don't know where he is. He disappeared soon after he was driven away by Tokiomi," Risei said. "However, it's possible that he would try again in some manner. Tokiomi is currently strengthening his defences at his manor, while preparing to send Rin and Aoi to safety. He is also making preparations to summon his Servant earlier than planned. And in truth…" Risei looked over at the Spirit Board, an item that monitored the state of each Servant, listing the ones summoned so far. "…I think we might be able to find out who they are anyway. See?"

Kirei nodded. The Spirit Board had already listed two Servants: his own Assassin, and a Caster. But then, he saw a third Servant listed, and he did a double-take. "…Avenger? Does such a class even exist?"

"Not normally, no," Risei said. "I would hazard that the intruder is most likely to be the Master of Avenger, though I cannot rule out the possibility that he is the Master of Caster, as Casters are not at their best in direct assaults on enemy territory, instead carving out territory to make their own. However, Tokiomi saw no Command Seals on the young man's hands."

"…But Avenger? I was told there were seven classes by Tokiomi."

"True, but there are a number of extra classes that could come to the fore in special circumstances, my son. In the last Holy Grail War, I spoke at great length to the von Einzbern representative, a lovely young lady. I was confused about the Avenger she had summoned, and while she did not elaborate, being rather coy beyond Avenger being a 'spirit of vengeance', she did regale me with a discussion about one other class. In cases where too many Masters are collaborating, a second set of seven Servants would be summoned, and a special Servant, a Ruler, would be summoned to act as a referee. I joked at the time that that would make me utterly redundant. Still…she claimed a saint would be the most likely candidate for a Ruler, so it pains me I would not meet a saint in such a role. Still…Avenger in the previous Grail War was a weakling who died early on. We cannot assume that this Avenger is as weak."

Kirei frowned. That was indeed concerning. "…What do we do?"

"We are accelerating our plans. I would like you to have Assassin provide extra security around the Tohsaka manor until we are ready to stage our little farce. Then, and only then, will we start tracking down Tokiomi's mysterious assailant. For capture and questioning, not killing. Indeed, if we can invite him to speak with us civilly and he accepts…as much as I do not wish to suspect Tokiomi of any wrongdoing, I wish to discern the truth first before passing judgement."

"…And if Tokiomi has done something wrong?"

"…If it is something that will truly make our relationship null and void…well, even if I cannot take overt action until the Grail War is over, I will be renouncing our friendship. However, should this assailant prove to be merely another enemy of Tokiomi's…then he will die…"

* * *

Harry followed his Servant through the rest of the manor he had found himself in, a palatial mansion in the forest on the outskirts of the city he was in. Fuyuki, it was called. He thanked Hermione for the Japanese lessons she had crammed into his brain. He wanted to get away from Britain after he finished Hogwarts, and Voldemort, and she helped him. Not that she could help him when the Ministry once more stabbed him in the back.

Harry shook his head to try and dispel those thoughts. _Stop that_, he thought. _Forget that Snape exposed the Horcrux in your scar as one big posthumous 'fuck you'. Forget that the Ministry wouldn't listen to you when you said that Horcrux had been destroyed thanks to Voldemort being too trigger happy with the Killing Curse. Forget that your friends, when they tried to speak up, were shouted down by the sheeple of Magical Britain. Forget that those bastards chucked you through the Veil to kill you off and the Horcrux, and hopefully seize your money into the bargain. Forget that they let you linger in Azkaban for two years before doing so. You're no longer in that world. You're separated from your friends, but your enemies can't get you too_.

Then, out loud, he said, "You still have your saving people thing. You have a girl who is subjected to inhuman horrors on a daily basis, and a man willing to undergo similar things to save her. Focus on that. You're going to kill Zouken Matou and Tokiomi Tohsaka. You're going to save Sakura and Kariya, and with them, Aoi and Rin. If anyone gets in the way, you either shove them aside, or you burn them."

"…Master, you're talking to yourself."

Harry blinked, before he looked at his Servant. Jeanne d'Arc, or rather, her dark side. The cruelty of most of her previous expressions were gone, replaced with what looked like genuine concern, mixed in with a little sardonic amusement. "…Sorry, force of habit. I was alone in my cell in Azkaban, so talking to myself was probably the only thing keeping me even remotely sane. Though calling me actually sane is a bit of a stretch."

"I can tell. I won't judge, though. I don't really consider myself a paragon of sanity myself. Still…I wouldn't suggest lingering in this manor, Master. This is definitely a Magus stronghold," she said, as they walked down the opulent, darkened corridor. "We're lucky not to have tripped any lethal Bounded Fields. In addition, while there appear to be no occupants, it has been maintained, and there are signs of recent cleaning."

"…I guess. I haven't really been paying attention."

"Then pay attention, or you could die in a rather ignoble manner, and I will vanish with you unless I find a new Master," Jeanne said, shooting him a look of both annoyance and concern. "_Bordel del merde_…just…listen to me. Follow me, and do not touch anything in this house without asking. That includes door handles. I'm trying to figure out if this place has any storerooms. The Grail's filled me in. This is the home and base of the von Einzberns when they're in Fuyuki. They're one of the three Founding Families of the Holy Grail War. So if they find us squatting here…"

"…I get the picture. I overheard Tokiomi and Zouken speaking about the Holy Grail War," Harry said. "Apparently the von Einzberns hired some infamous assassin called Kiritsugu Emiya…shit, if he finds us here…"

"Exactly. The Grail hasn't supplied me with information about Emiya, but if the von Einzberns have hired him as their proxy, he is doubtlessly formidable," Jeanne said. "However, I think we should search out some storehouse and loot it of any valuables or currency we can find. Assuming they have any. The best place to look is in the second most highly protected place in this mansion."

"Why the second?"

Jeanne sighed in annoyance as they approached an entrance hall. "…You really do come from another world, don't you? Here at least, Magi have a Workshop, a place where they do their magecraft and research. That would be the most heavily protected. Any more mundane valuables would be less protected." She then stopped, and then frowned. "…It seems that our presence hasn't gone unnoticed. There is a human coming here. Not a Master, unless it's the Master of Assassin, I'd probably be able to sense a Servant by now. But definitely a Magus of some kind. Master, I suggest you stay back, in hiding."

"…Got it. And stop calling me Master. Call me Harry."

"Later." She gestured him to hide behind a grand staircase in the entrance hall, while she vanished in a cloud of blue particles. Then, he heard a door open, then footsteps…only to hear a sudden grunt, and then tumbling noises. "…Who are you?" The noise of a choked cry, a woman. "…I won't ask again. Your little toy pistol can't hurt me. I was about to leave with my Master before you started nosing about. So, if you tell me who you are now, I won't roast you alive until you do. Hmm? Won't talk? You must be Kiritsugu Emiya's pet. Ah, your eyes betray you. I'd kill you, but I don't think my Master would like that very much. So…" There was a brief bit of fumbling. "Ah, thank you for your kind donation to the cause. And by the way…" He some whispering for a while, though not the words, before he heard a crack. Then, Jeanne's voice called out, "The coast is clear, Master. For now."

Harry emerged from the shadows, and went up to where Jeanne stood over the body of a dark-haired Japanese woman. "Who is that?"

"I'm guessing Kiritsugu Emiya's underling, given the way she reacted to the name. Who else would be lurking around here but a von Einzbern lackey? She's unconscious. While I would prefer to kill her, I think you'd object to that, so I had a more interesting idea."

"What do you mean?"

Jeanne merely tapped her nose in a coy gesture. "Let's just say she's going to be a messenger…and a lit fuse that might actually make things easier for us. Anyway, I decided to get some money out of her wallet. It should be enough for now. I'll mug some idiots later. And…" She held up keys on a chain and jangled them. "Car keys."

"…Do you know how to drive?"

Jeanne shrugged. "I've ridden a horse in life. Don't worry, I intend to ditch the car long before we get anywhere where the police might find us. I'm not stupid."

"…That's not reassuring," Harry said.

"Don't be a wimp. C'mon. I want to try…what do they call it these days? Ah, yes, burning rubber…"

Harry sighed as he followed Jeanne out of the mansion. Somehow, he knew she was going to be more trouble than she was worth. Still…he was stuck with her now. And maybe, just maybe, he wouldn't regret summoning her.

He hoped…

**CHAPTER 2 ANNOTATIONS:**

**Oh dear, Harry. I think you don't know what you're in for. But by the same token, neither is Jalter. She gets a conscience who she thinks is entertaining and useful for more than torment. Of course, they've just knocked out Maiya, and Kiritsugu is NOT going to be happy that his assistant and mistress got attacked…though what did Jalter tell her?**

**Also…Risei has doubts about his old friend. I think that, as loyal as Risei is to Tokiomi, he would balk at what is being done to Sakura, and given how Tokiomi seems to be panicking over nothing, Risei is concerned. Risei may be willing to flout the rules somewhat to give Tokiomi an advantage, but if he learns about the Crest Worms…well…yeah. He's probably going to tell Tokiomi to fuck off…albeit at an opportune time.**

**No numbered annotations this time.**


	4. Chapter 3: His Story

**CHAPTER 3:**

**HIS STORY**

Well, while dealing with Jeanne's driving would never surpass the fear that came with facing a Dementor or Voldemort, it certainly entered his personal Top 10. She drove in a manner that, while skilled, also was rather reckless, in the same way that the Atlantic was rather wet. And speaking of wet, he was lucky the tattered remnants of his underwear didn't end up that way as well due to losing control over bodily functions out of fear. And through it all, the dark doppelganger of one of the most famous saints to ever live cackled with glee, or yelled delighted and deranged proclamations like "GILLES WOULD SHIT HIMSELF RIDING IN ONE OF THESE THINGS!"

Still, the rather terrifying jaunt was over quickly, and Jeanne and Harry left the car parked by the side of the road…though Jeanne, once they had reached far enough away, set it on fire. Somehow. He wasn't sure how she did it, because the last he heard, Jeanne d'Arc was not a witch. Fleur Delacour had once brought it up during one of her friendlier moments in his fourth year.

Their luck seemed to change when they were intercepted by a small gang of youths who demanded their money. Jeanne and Harry just looked at each other, and then knocked them out, stripping one of the men and a girl of their clothes and Harry using a Memory Charm on them. Plus, they added some money to the kitty. Harry even concealed his eyes using sunglasses.

Thus, the two of them were a little better dressed when they came to a dingy hotel, but it was probably better than, well, sleeping in a manor that was going to be used as the home base of an assassin. While Harry was dressed in jeans and a shirt, Jeanne was dressed in a dark minidress and a jacket with a faux-fur lining at the collar(1).

So once they were in their room, the receptionist no doubt thinking they were here to have a liaison, Harry and Jeanne looked at each other. "…So…what should we talk about?" Harry asked. "The fact that you got us a room with only one bed?"

Jeanne scoffed. "_Bégueule_. If you really are that concerned about sharing a bed with another woman, I can Astralize. That basically means I shift into a spiritual form. Seriously, how much do you know about the Holy Grail War?"

"…Probably less than I should. I eavesdropped on a couple of Magi, Tokiomi Tohsaka and Zouken Matou, so while I know a lot, I don't know whether I have everything down."

"…You eavesdropped on them? How?"

"I can change into an animal. Namely, a Basilisk, a magical snake with a petrifying glare. I don't know how to use that, yet. Maybe I can't use it yet, or I have protective eyelids on that I don't know how to remove. I think it's the latter. It's a very long story. What I know is, Servants are basically the combatants in this Holy Grail War, right? And the last man standing after all of it gets to use the Holy Grail to fill any wish they desire. The last surviving Servant also gets their wish granted."

Jeanne nodded. "That sounds about right. Usually, Servants fall into one of seven classes: Saber, Archer, Lancer, Berserker, Rider, Caster and Assassin. Avenger…well, it's not a normal class. And yet…here I am. Not that I'm complaining, mind. I'd just like to know…well, _why_. It's not really normal for me to be summoned as an Avenger."

"Yeah, you're one of the most famous saints in the world. I never would have picked you as some sort of Avenger."

"Exactly. But I want to hear _your_ story."

"…Why do you want to know about me?" Harry asked.

"…Because we are the same." He looked up, and met the gaze of her golden eyes. They looked down at him in pity, not contemptuous pity, but one that had a sort of empathy in them. Her voice, when it came out, was soft and gentle. "…You have similar eyes to mine. Ones that dance with hatred, madness and anger. Yet you still have a conscience, absurdly enough, a desire to help others, and normally, I would not deign to have someone like you as a master…and yet…something about you…it's like looking into a mirror. I was summoned by you for a reason. So…please, tell me."

Harry hesitated. She was, after all, something of a stranger. But to tell the truth, it had been lonely. He couldn't talk to Rin as a Basilisk. And when he finally gained the ability to turn back…well, it was to interrogate Tokiomi Tohsaka. He needed someone to talk to, and maybe telling Jeanne his story might help her trust him. Or maybe it would just help just to talk.

So he did so. He spoke of his childhood. He spoke of Hogwarts, his friends, teachers, and Voldemort. He spoke of Voldemort's coup, and how he brought him down, only for Snape to bring him down posthumously by claiming the Horcrux was still in his head through a letter he had sent to _The Daily Prophet_. Imprisonment in Azkaban for two years, and then…the Veil.

The tumultuous transit between dimensions had buffeted his body. Why he changed into a Basilisk, he didn't know, but he thought that surviving the trip was part of it. He wondered whether Sirius had managed to survive the trip himself. If so, he didn't know where he ended up. He ended up in a garden of the Tohsaka manor…and was all but adopted by a girl with black hair and aqua eyes by the name of Rin. He became, unwittingly, her confidant, feeling somewhat uncomfortable with being the only thing a seven year old girl could talk to. After all, he was twenty, and it felt vaguely creepy that he had become a confidant to such a young girl that her parents didn't know about. He even eavesdropped on her father, listening to him discussing the Holy Grail War with a priest called Risei Kotomine.

And then, she let slip about her younger sister, a sister she was supposed to think of as another family. Her concern and worry won him over, and he slithered his way into the Matou manor, with difficulty. There were all those bugs and things everywhere, and he got the feeling of being watched. And then, he saw…well, it was difficult to describe. Not because what he saw was truly difficult to describe, but because the sheer, unmitigated horror, disgust and anger he felt at seeing a six year old girl effectively being raped by worms got in the way. And then, he saw a man undergo the same treatment, Kariya Matou, looking like a stroke victim, a dead eye, inability to move properly…and he was doing it to save Sakura, even as that wrinkled decrepit thing jeered at him.

Enraged, he went back to Tohsaka Manor, intending to get answers. He'd arranged for Aoi and Rin to be witnesses, managing to regain human form to leave them a note, before changing back. And when they confronted him, so did he. But Tokiomi had attacked him, setting his arm on fire, and Harry fled, though he managed to linger long enough to hear Tokiomi wiping the minds of his wife and daughter.

He fled through the night, fleeing through the town, into the forested areas on the reaches of Fuyuki. He thinks he must have used Apparition a few times out of instinct. He was damned if he knew if he could do it now. And then, he ended up at the von Einzbern chapel, licking his wounds, before deciding, he needed an advantage.

"…And you know the rest. I admittedly abridged a lot," Harry said.

"Well, at least you gave me the pertinent points," Jeanne said. "I despise being bored. But…I understand now. You are like me, and yet unlike me. Even after your people turned on you, in a whole new world…you can't help but try to be a hero again. Even with all the rage…even with all the rancour…ugh, you really are a boneheaded fool. And yet…" She sat down next to him on the bed. "…I envy you."

"What do you mean?"

"…You have such conviction…it's sickening, and yet…look at me. Do I look like Jeanne d'Arc to you?"

"I don't know. I never met her."

"Heh. Well…I don't. She's a saint, and a proper saint at that, not the sort of sainthood the Vatican seems to hand out like fucking candy these days," Jeanne sneered. "True, a Heroic Spirit can have many aspects to their legends, and I doubt Jeanne d'Arc, the original person, was without her dark side. But…I'm powerful, you know. I could raze this city to the ground without breaking much of a sweat, unless the sweat is caused by the heat of the flames. But…I shouldn't be. Even if there was a dark side to the living Jeanne d'Arc…it wouldn't be as powerful as I am. I…I don't know why I am telling you this. I'm the sort of thing you should despise, as bad as these Death Eaters you fought, and yet…you sit there so calmly, accepting me."

Yes. It was odd. He should have been screaming in outrage. And yet, despite her dark, sardonic attitude, he couldn't help but feel some sort of calm acceptance. Maybe it was because he needed a confidante as much as he needed a Servant to deal with Tokiomi. And there was another factor. "You haven't killed anyone yet."

"I did as Jeanne d'Arc. I ordered men to their deaths, I ordered the deaths of the enemy. I may not have swung the sword…but my hands are still steeped in blood. Even the saint cannot deny that. All because she heard the voice of God. But was I insane?"

"…I don't know. But as long as you don't kill indiscriminately, we're good. I need to save Sakura. And I can't be that picky about the help. Besides…you answered my call, didn't you?"

"…Yes. That suggests some compatibility. Master…Harry…for now, while my soul is aflame with the need for vengeance and retribution, I am your sword and shield. You interest me. And besides…we're going to burn Tokiomi Tohsaka and Zouken Matou, aren't we?"

Harry grinned viciously. "…You can do what you like, as long as it's slow and painful."

Her own grin matched his own. "I do believe we're speaking the same language, Harry. So…let's prepare to wage a Grail War the likes these _connards_ have never seen before. If you want to make my wrath a righteous one…then so be it…"

* * *

Her Master fell asleep soon thereafter, and Jeanne Astralized to conserve energy. Not that she needed to: she could tell that his reserves were massive, and it did lead some credence to his fantastical story. Not that she disbelieved him. She knew he spoke the truth with every word.

Yes…he was so much like her. And yet, he retained that sliver of righteousness. Annoying, and yet…she couldn't help but be drawn to him. She didn't know why.

She didn't tell him, but during his summoning…she felt like she had been forced on him. Like the Grail punted her out of the summoning circle, and bound her to him. Just for the hell of it. And yet…and yet…she saw something in him.

Leaving aside their similarities, there were their differences. They should have repulsed her, the fact that he kept onto his righteousness. Hell, it still did. He wasn't like the naïve little saint, he recognised how fucked up the world was, and yet…he still tried to do the right thing. How repulsive and annoying…and yet, like many repulsive things, it had this perverse attraction to it.

Besides, he never said she couldn't kill, just not kill indiscriminately. And as much as the flames of her hatred wanted to be unleashed on a whim, she would admit, it felt right. She had been an innocent herself when she was condemned to the flames. While she was a war leader, the English had put her on trial for being a witch and a transvestite. In truth, they wanted to punish her for embarrassing them, as the English had been bested by a girl not even out of her teens, she would wager. And even after running circles around them with their attempts to entrap her theologically…they still managed to condemn her to the flames.

It was not a quick death. She remembered the pain of the flames cooking her legs and feet, even as she clutched the makeshift cross of sticks to her. Part of her accepted this, and yet…it felt like part of her was screaming and railing at God. It felt like she had parts of her life superimposed over each other, painted over, but with parts still visible beneath.

She moved through into the bathroom, and Deastralized, looking at herself in the grotty mirror, and recoiled briefly. She had seen her face briefly in the rear vision mirror of the car they stole, but now, she only began to realise…this was the face of a stranger. Oh, the shape was the same, but the skin was deathly pale, her golden locks now snow white, her eyes, once a beautiful amethyst, were now a baleful gold, beautiful in their own way, but…

Now that the initial elation of being summoned, of being brought back to life, had died down, she stared into the mirror. "…Who am I?" she whispered quietly, watching the stranger move her lips in sync. "…Am I real? I'm not her…she's too pure, and…how can I exist?" Her face twisted in a hateful snarl, and it was all she could do not to ram her fist into the mirror.

"No," she said to herself. "Stay focused, Jeanne. He may be a bit too kind, but he is your Master, and as long as it's people he objects to, he will let you burn them." A vicious smile lit up her features. "Plus…I _was_ a saint. If I should torment and kill…it _should_ be the deserving. Yes…this will be fun…"

* * *

And in her bedroom, a girl of seven years of age stared up at her darkened ceiling, trying not to cry, her aqua eyes glistening with tears. While it was true she had been reading up on her mental protection studies, far ahead of what her father had prescribed for her…she hadn't dreamed she would need it against her own father.

Part of her denied what she had heard. 'Hebi' had betrayed her, turned out to be a human, a Magus, in disguise. And yet, she also knew what happened next. 'Hebi' was attacked by her father when he demanded answers about her former sister. Her father had tried to erase her memories, and she had to pretend that it worked, because his reaction, and her mother's reaction, told her that it was the truth. That her former sister was being subjected to horrible, horrible things at the Matous…and there was nothing she could do about it.

Rin Tohsaka had lost her sister a year before. Today, she lost a friend, a pet snake called 'Hebi' who turned out to be a Magus. And shortly after that, she lost her innocence and her respect for her father, when she learned what had happened to Sakura. She wept in lament for what she had lost. She now knew, too young, that even family could not be trusted. And that to be a Magus was a terrible thing indeed…

**CHAPTER 3 ANNOTATIONS:**

**So, some more fun (and angst) from Harry and Jalter, and some pretty heavy angst from Rin. I debated whether or not to have her keep her memories, before deciding to do it. Basically, Tokiomi underestimated how far she had read ahead in her magecraft studies, particularly where mental protection was involved. Considering how, in the anime, she manages to resist Ryuunosuke's hypnosis bracelet after briefly falling under its spell, it's not implausible.**

**As for Jalter's little episode in the bathroom…keep in mind, she is basically an edited version of Jeanne d'Arc, twisted by Angra Mainyu to suit Gilles' desires. But as Gilles wasn't present at her summoning (unlike in ****_Fate/Grand Order_****), Jalter is beginning to realise something is wrong. And even if she's shaken off her existential angst for the moment, it's going to bite back hard before long. She's a mass of contradictions, a woman who died a saint, only to be reborn a sociopath. She's already got the notion that she is pretty much a fiction (created by Angra Mainyu from Gilles' wishes, but she doesn't know that), but at the moment, that's on the mental backburner.**

**1\. Jalter is basically wearing her casual clothes from the Shinjuku arc of ****_Fate/Grand Order_****.**


	5. Chapter 4: Date and Denial

**CHAPTER 4:**

**DATE AND DENIAL**

Kiritsugu Emiya was not happy. Admittedly, there were few times when he was happy, and usually, those involved the times he would spend with his wife Irisviel, and his daughter Illyasviel. Even then, they were transient joys. Iri was doomed to die, as the Lesser Grail, a vessel that would hold the essences of the six defeated Servants to prime the Greater Grail. And Illya…if he failed, she would be kept from him as the punishment for that failure, with the von Einzbern family intending to turn her into another Lesser Grail.

The von Einzberns had pretty much foisted this Saber Servant, Arturia Pendragon, onto him. He couldn't complain about her power and ability: she was King Arthur, after all, even if history got her gender confused. No, it was her attitude, her idiotic adherence to the tenets of chivalry, dressing up violence in a pretty surcoat and making it glorious. This wasn't to say he wasn't without sympathy for her, for taking up her fate and becoming resigned to it. In fact, he pitied her, and while her adherence to chivalry made it easier to treat her like the tool she was, he couldn't help but see something, something that made him keep his distance from her.

However, this latest report from Maiya was disturbing to say the least. While in Fuyuki, making preparations, she felt the Bounded Fields around the von Einzbern Castle on the outskirts of the town trip. She made her way there on his instructions to investigate, as the Homunculi who had been there to clean and prepare the manor for their arrival had already left. And she had been assaulted by a Servant of all things.

The Servant had stolen money and her car keys from her (and said car was later found burned out on the outskirts of the city), but before incapacitating her, had given her a message. "_I am Servant Avenger, and I have a question to pose you. Would the one holding your leash tolerate Crest Worms in a young girl? Well…Tokiomi Tohsaka willingly tossed his youngest to that fate. Will Kiritsugu Emiya do anything about that? If not…stay the fuck out of our way, or burn._"

He'd never heard of a Servant class called Avenger. He'd nearly written it off as a hoax until he brought it up with Jubstacheit. Old Man Acht had reacted badly, denying that he did, and only Irisviel's coaxing had brought out the truth. While there were seven normal classes in a Holy Grail War, there also existed a number of others. A Ruler was one who could referee the Grail War under certain circumstances, for example.

But there was a class the von Einzberns summoned as a potential trump card in the Third Holy Grail War. An Avenger Servant, a spirit of vengeance. Specifically, Angra Mainyu, who turned out to be a weakling, swiftly killed.

Kiritsugu wasn't reassured. This Avenger was different to the descriptions of Angra Mainyu he had winkled out of a reluctant Acht. A young woman with pale hair and skin, and golden eyes, speaking with a French accent, dressed in armour. Very different to a young man covered in tribal tattoos.

Avenger clearly spared Maiya as a messenger. Thinking back on the words of the Servant, Kiritsugu wondered if she was the Servant of Kariya Matou. It'd certainly explain her words. But Maiya investigated, and found that the summoning circle in the chapel had been recently used, and Kariya had been at the Matou Manor at the time, given the familiar they had watching the house. This suggested the possibility that someone else was Avenger's Master.

Still…Crest Worms in a child he held some affection for (given his known links to Tokiomi's wife) would explain why the black sheep…well, white sheep of the Matou family returned to the fold. Kiritsugu found himself scowling in disgust. Crest Worms…and Tokiomi Tohsaka willingly sent his youngest to that fate.

He could understand it if it was done in ignorance. After all, unless you happened to be part of the Edelfelt family, the Magic Crest could only go to one heir, and many a bloody battle over inheritance had been fought. And there was ensuring Sakura would be protected from enemies of the Tohsakas. But to knowingly do that to her…Kiritsugu may have been a pragmatist of the highest order, but he also had many lines he would never cross. He would never subject Illya to such a fate knowingly, or indeed any child. He would kill a child if absolutely necessary, but to do what Tokiomi did…

He also knew why Avenger told him this. It was either a means of diverting attention from her to Tokiomi, or else a veiled offer of a tentative alliance. The latter was intriguing, but he also had to consider that Avenger and her Master were a wild card, just like whoever stole Lord El-Melloi's catalyst, or the mysterious Master of Caster. They had their own agenda, and he doubted it was anything good. He wondered what sort of twisted machination they were up to…

* * *

"HAHAHAHA! _VA CHIER_, YOU FOOLS! HAHAHAHAHA!"

Harry sighed, even as he managed to tag someone in the laser tag game. Even though Jeanne came from the 15th Century, she had picked up the principles of laser tag pretty well. When he woke up this morning, she'd demanded that they do something fun. There was an arcade not that far from where they were, so he opted to give that a go. He didn't want to rush in and attack the Tohsaka Manor or the Matou resident half-cocked. Especially if they had gotten a Servant of their own.

She seemed actually quite fascinated with the arcade games, particularly the more violent ones. And then, she caught sight of the laser tag facility. She'd all but dragged him into it…and proved to be a terror. Even while not overtly using the superhuman abilities of a Servant, she was beating all comers rather handily.

She acted so much like Bellatrix Lestrange, and it said a lot about Harry's state of mind that that didn't disturb him as much as he thought it should have. Two years in Azkaban had caused some of his emotional responses to become blunted, eroded away, presumably just in order to survive being around Dementors. Or maybe he was more like Voldemort than he thought, that despite his righteousness, the evil from the Horcrux had still tainted him.

No, he mustn't think like that. Going to war to save Sakura and to annihilate Tokiomi Tohsaka and that thing calling itself Zouken Matou was NOT wrong. Jeanne was his ally, a tentative one, but an ally all the same. Hopefully, she would become more than just an ally of convenience, more than just a violence-hungry girl who barely kept a grip on her own sanity…

* * *

When they left the arcade, Jeanne had a huge flush on her cheeks, the first real colour Harry had actually seen on the Servant's face since he had summoned her. "…Oh, I needed that," she said as they headed to get some ice cream. "Even if it's only fake violence, it was fun trouncing those idiots. Ah, if only lasers were real. I mean, hand-held laser guns. I want one of those."

"Right, you didn't have guns back then."

"Not really. Crossbows and longbows were the closest thing." Jeanne grimaced, even as Harry bought a couple of chocolate ice creams from a nearby stall. "I got hit by an arrow when we were besieging the English fortress of les Tourelles. I do not recommend the experience."

"Yeah, about that…I'm English, so…" Harry began as they walked away, ice creams in hand.

"Look, you're my Master. I can't exactly be picky. Besides, you interest me," Jeanne said, before she bit into the chocolate ice cream, only for her eyes to widen in surprise. "…_Sacre bleu_. I…" After a moment's hesitation, she devoured the ice cream, moaning in a disturbingly orgasmic manner as she did so. "…Well…" she said, licking her lips in a manner that was just lascivious enough to be uncomfortable to watch, "that was an unexpected pleasure."

"Right, ice cream didn't exist in your time either," Harry said, a little nonplussed at her sensuous reaction. "Neither did chocolate, right?"

"No. A shame. A small chocolate ration would have done wonders for the morale of my men. I mean, I technically don't need to eat, as I subsist on the mana supply from you…but it reminds me that I have some semblance of life." Her face fell as they walked down the streets. "…I'm really little more than a solid ghost, Harry. This body isn't flesh and blood, but composed of Spiritron particles. And even then…heh. I dunno why I am telling you this. I'm not your friend, just your Servant."

"We're allies, right?"

"Yeah." There was no hesitation. "I mean…we're allies of convenience, but…I like this." A soft smile touched her lips, not her usual sinister or sardonic ones. "Even though we are going to war, you took me here, to try and give me something to enjoy. I…appreciate it."

"…Yeah. Maybe you could call it a first date?" Harry said cheekily, and was rewarded by an explosion of red across her face.

"…_Imbécile!_" she snapped angrily. "A date? How dare you! Ugh! I ought to burn you for that!"

"Hey, calm down, you say it like it's a bad thing. Besides, I was only joking." As she subsided into an irritable glower, he asked, "…Did you ever go on dates in life?"

Jeanne scoffed. "Not exactly. Oh, I had a fairly normal childhood, and I did flirt with a couple of boys before God decided to call on me to do His dirty work…but I didn't go on a date. Besides, I grew up in a rural village. What is there to do on a date in a place like that? My father would have tanned the hide of any boy who put his hands on me, anyway. Ugh, whatever. Let's go. I'm glad we only paid for the one night in that room. We'll need to keep moving, to avoid any other Masters, potential or otherwise, getting a bead on us…"

* * *

Waver Velvet sighed in annoyance as he watched the Mackenzies slump into a hypnotic stupor. For all that he needed to maintain the cover story that he was their grandson, returned from England to Japan for the time being after study abroad, he didn't like doing this over and over. Given how mundane his life back home was, he didn't like having to hypnotise normal people unless necessary. But they had asked questions about the roosters he had obtained, in order to use their blood to draw out the Servant summoning ritual.

Still, oddly enough, he seemed to be getting disapproving looks from their dog. It was strange how…human-like the animal was, and he wondered whether it was a familiar of some kind. But he dismissed the thought just as quickly. The Mackenzies had no connection to magecraft that he knew of, and he had found nothing that suggested otherwise. No Bounded Fields, no traces of magic, nothing. The dog was apparently quite intelligent, but that was it. Plus, he had a weird name on the dog tag.

He walked out of the home after ensuring the Mackenzies would be fine. The dog trotted out after him. As he squatted down in front of the chicken coop he had made up in the small backyard, he noticed the dog giving him another disapproving look. "Hey, it's not like I wanted to do that, okay? I just…need to ensure they'll be fine. At least until tonight. Then, I'll summon up my Servant, and things will be great! I'll prove that Archibald was wrong to destroy my thesis and mock me! The Grail thinks I'm worthy to participate, so already he's wrong!"

The dog whined, and Waver realised that the sound had an air of concern to it. "Hey, it'll be fine, boy. I mean, I'll have Iskandar, Alexander the Great, as a Servant! He'll be unstoppable, right?"

Another whine of concern. Waver sighed in irritation. "Look, I'm going to be keeping the Mackenzies out of this if I can. And you'd better stay out of it too. I mean, let's face it, it's not like a dog will be any help, as big as you are."

A bark answered him, and Waver sighed again. What the actual hell was he doing, talking to a dog? It wasn't like the damn thing understood him, in spite of appearances. He guessed maybe he needed someone to demonstrate his own cleverness to, and the Mackenzies, being non-Magi, wouldn't understand. Not that the dog would, but it wasn't like he'd get in trouble for talking to a dog about the Moonlit World, would he?

"…Well, tonight's the night," Waver said, before looking once more at the dog tag on the collar around the dog's neck. An odd name, but it sort of fit. "I'll need to get things together. Come along, Padfoot. We have work to do…"

**CHAPTER 4 ANNOTATIONS:**

**So, Kiritsugu is trying to find out what Jalter's game is, Jalter is showing her ****_tsundere_**** side, and Waver has…wait…is that Sirius?!**

**Well, thanks for the enthusiastic response. While I knew a lot of people wanted to see a Harry/Jalter fic, I didn't think it'd get this great a response. In fact, after the first six chapters, I very nearly halted for good, so it probably wouldn't have been published. Thankfully, I went back, changed what had troubled me, and, well, here we are. Here's hoping you enjoy the next few chapters…**

**Review-answering time! ****Dragon Man 180****: While I have no idea if Aoi will survive to the very end, she will survive long enough to see her youngest one last time.**

**Gabriel Herrol****: Hmm, that's tricky. In terms of sheer raw power, she's a match for any Servant in the Fourth Holy Grail War. But in terms of technique…well, Gilgamesh's Gate of Babylon and Iskandar's Ionian Hetairoi will give her a lot of trouble. During the battle at the docks, she uses her Noble Phantasm, Le Grondement de la Haine (not the official spelling, but what it would be in actual French) twice. The first time, against Gilgamesh, doesn't hit home, while the second time, against Lancelot, does…also, Jalter's remark to Harry is her calling him a prude, for those who are curious.**

**Fallen-Ryu****: They will, eventually. I only knew about Tokiomi knowing about the Crest Worms through a guest review on ****_Separated at Birth_****. Apparently Kinoku Nasu stated this in an interview.**

**osterreicher97****: Uh, excuse me? Tokiomi is a much more experienced magic user. Harry mostly won against other opponents through luck and tenacity. Plus, Harry was acting very impulsively out of anger. In a straight fight, Tokiomi would win more often than not, unless Harry either fought dirty or used Apparition or disarmed him. The latter is probably more likely.**

**edboy4926****: No, he cannot, and they are not.**

**silentstrixe****: Yeah, Jalter went to the same driving school as Irisviel and Moedred.**

**Temporal Knight****: Uhh, what? Jalter is best girl? Excuse me, but I can name a number of other Servants who would be contenders, and a petite version of Sakura on sword-stilts and a death goddess who is basically Rin with a bad dye-job ain't them. :P Just from ****_Fate/Stay Night_**** alone, we have Medusa and Medea. If you're talking about raw power in ****_Fate/Grand Order_****, then yes, Jalter can't be beaten, and there's no denying that she's sexy and more interesting than standard Jeanne. But still…**

**3697014****: I don't know, but they'd probably choose the latter for the most part. This version of Jalter is of the mindset that while burning only lets people suffer briefly, psychological torment can last quite a while.**

**Connorfig****: Quite possibly, or at least he will become an uncle figure like Kariya.**

**MWkillkenny84****: Probably not until much later in the story.**

**Guest****: Rin will learn the truth sooner than you'd think, and from Kirei Kotomine of all people. So will Aoi, who will have her memories restored. However…I think (I'm not certain yet) that Harry and Kariya may actually clash. Lancelot gets owned by Jalter, and in his madness, he (like Gilles) thinks that Jalter is Arturia. And Harry may not be able to find Kariya in time to cooperate with him when he saves Sakura and stashes her away, so when Kariya learns that Jalter and Harry have taken Sakura away, well, in his insanity, he sics Lancelot onto them, not knowing that Harry has saved Sakura, perhaps not until it's too late.**

**No numbered annotations this time.**


	6. Chapter 5: Parley

**CHAPTER 5:**

**PARLEY**

Kirei was a little anxious about this. This wasn't the first time he had entered into a potentially lethal situation with a possible adversary stronger than he was, though confronting Dead Apostles had nothing on confronting a Servant. As it happened, though, while he had his Assassins doing some last-minute scouting before tonight's little staged farce, they stumbled across Avenger and her Master, enjoying themselves.

The young man matched the descriptions Tokiomi gave of his assailant, even if the dark-haired English boy Avenger called 'Harry' seemed unimpressive. True, those eyes were mostly hidden behind sunglasses. However, he also seemed haggard and wary, like a fugitive, and Kirei didn't believe it was due to attacking Tokiomi, or at least not wholly.

The Avenger Servant, for that was how he referred to her in public, was a beautiful young woman who reminded him, albeit superficially, of his late wife Claudia Hortensia. Certainly the hair, eye and skin colouration were similar. But the woman was very different, her demeanour haughty, proud and sardonic, her expressions often having a malicious nature to them.

However, he had Assassin approach them, using the form he intended to have die tonight at Gilgamesh's hands, the Archer Servant having been summoned by Tokiomi. Avenger nearly killed that form, known to the rest of Hundred-Face as 'Zayd', before reluctantly agreeing to parley. Which was why he was standing in front of a hotel room, having ensured that he had not been followed, by mundane or magical means.

Kirei was met at the door by Avenger, who looked him up and down, before sneering. "A _priest_ is the Master of Assassin?"

"I am a former Executor of the Burial Agency, Avenger," Kirei said calmly.

"…I see. One of the Vatican's attack dogs," Avenger said, before reluctantly allowing him in. The dingy room was clearly only temporary lodgings. "So, say your piece, priest."

"Firstly, allow me to introduce myself. I am Kirei Kotomine. My father, Risei Kotomine, is the Church-appointed Overseer of the Holy Grail War," Kirei said, pulling out a mobile phone. "I approached you so that my father may question you about your actions towards Tokiomi Tohsaka." On seeing their eyes narrow, he held up his hands. "Tokiomi seemed unusually eager to see you dead…excuse me, but what is your name?"

"…Sirius Black."

"Really? Assassin was under the impression your name was Harry."

The boy winced, before saying, "Alright, fine then. My name is Harry Potter. Happy?"

"…I am satisfied. Though while I cannot claim to know every major Magus family, I have never heard of the Potter line."

"It's a long story, and one that I am not inclined to discuss," Harry said.

"I see." Kirei flipped open the phone, and dialled his father's private number, before activating the speakerphone and placing it on the table. This ought to be interesting.

He had no idea of how right he was…

* * *

Risei felt unsteady on his feet after hearing the story. True, he wasn't absolutely certain he believed every detail, and yet…most of it fit. There was just one part of the story he had trouble believing. This was less because he thought a Magus was capable of such a thing, and more that he thought Tokiomi, an old friend, to be better than that.

Eventually, he said, "Mr Potter…you'll forgive me for saying that I find it hard to believe that Tokiomi would knowingly allow Sakura to undergo such treatment. Do not misunderstand me, I wholeheartedly believe that Zouken Matou would be so vile as to inflict Crest Worms on such a young child, and it does explain why Kariya Matou has returned to the fold. But for Tokiomi to do such a thing…"

"_He admitted as such when I confronted him!_" snarled Harry's voice. "_And then, he went and erased the memories of his wife and daughter!_"

"And, Mr Potter, it is your word, that of a stranger, against that of a man I have known for decades!" Risei snapped, his temper getting the better of him for once. Calming himself, he said, "Mr Potter, I never said you were _wrong_, only that I found it hard to believe. It is only Tokiomi's furtive and frantic behaviour after your attack on him that even has me considering that your words have any truth to them. As for what I can do…I can do nothing, as an impartial overseer sent by the Holy Church."

A stream of profanity, both English and French, came up the line, and Risei rode it out patiently. Eventually, he said, "…However, if you had reliable witnesses to corroborate your story, I could at least allow for some action, against Zouken Matou if nobody else. Kirei, we need to talk once you get back."

"_Understood, Father._"

"I would also like to point out that recently, Sakura has started going to school at Homurahara Elementary. Recently, she has escorts, but a Servant would be too much for them. Holding her as a hostage is against the rules, of course, but ensuring her safety is another matter."

"…_I see_," came the voice of Avenger. "_A priest who does not sit idly by and allow evil to happen, will wonders never cease?_"

Risei felt a slight sting at the jab. Avenger had been particularly antagonistic towards the Kotomines throughout, her remarks suggesting she had issues against priests and Christianity. However, he said, "I would ask that you show some restraint. One of the rules of the Holy Grail War is to avoid involving bystanders, especially those without knowledge of magic. This is partly to keep magic secret. I will have Kirei inform you of the most pertinent rules to follow. Should Avenger fall in battle, I would ask you, Harry, to make your way here for sanctuary. If even Tokiomi tries to violate that, then he would face severe consequences. However, the same could be said for you two. Please keep that in mind."

"…_And keep this in mind_," Harry's voice said. "_I don't trust you one jot. I have been burned one too many times, especially by old men who thought they knew best. If you betray us to Tokiomi, I don't care about the rules. You and your church will __**burn**__. Avenger will supply the fire, and I will get some marshmallows._"

The sound Avenger emitted sounded disturbingly orgasmic, but Risei said, "Do not make such threats lightly. I am risking much even by allowing you as much as I am. Do not abuse the trust I am placing in you…"

* * *

"…And those are the most pertinent rules," Kirei concluded. "The rest are more trivial guidelines than rules, and any rule changes are within the purview of the Overseer. If you are unable to use familiars, then my father will contact you via this phone if there is anything that needs communicating. You seem to have no phone yourself, after all."

"It seems weird that the son of the Overseer would get chosen by the Grail," Harry said, looking at Kirei suspiciously. Something about the man set him on edge, though he couldn't understand why. The man was courteous enough, but had a rather stoic, grim demeanour.

"I assure you, I was surprised myself. I do not have any desire that I know of that the Grail can grant me," Kirei said. "And yet, it chose me."

He seemed genuinely bemused, though Harry was still wary. Jeanne, however, was peering at the man, before she said, "…You're dead inside." As Kirei looked at her in shock, she said, "I've seen men like you before. Hollow men…the walking dead. Some joined my army…searching for meaning, or a place to die…"

"I assure you, I do not intend to die," Kirei said, regaining his composure. He stood, and made to leave. "I'd suggest changing hotels on a regular basis, assuming you aren't already."

"…Just a moment," Harry said. Kirei turned to look at him. "…Do you know of any magic that can travel between worlds? Like parallel universes?"

Kirei peered at his face thoughtfully. "…Yes, actually. I have never met the man, but the Wizard Marshall has mastery over the Second True Magic, Kaleidoscope. I see…that explains something of your ignorance. You come from another world, somehow, if you tell the truth. Should you survive the Grail War, head to London, and seek out at the Magus Association Kischur Zelretch Schweinorg. While something of a notorious gadfly, he would probably help you for little compensation if at all…unless he decides to rope you into one of his amusements." At this, a faint smirk briefly touched Kirei's lips.

"…Are we talking pranks or something more painful?" Harry asked.

"Probably pranks. He reserves the more painful things to inflict on his more arrogant and undeserving apprentices, so they say," Kirei said. "In any case, remember what we have discussed. And should you decide to…_kidnap_ Sakura Matou for her own safety, keep in mind that this will paint a target on you, and you cannot bring her to the church for sanctuary. I would suggest biding your time for the right moment."

"There's a girl being raped by worms on a daily basis," Harry said with a glower. "I won't let her stay there any longer than necessary. I'm not going to be stupid and charge in there like I used to, but…"

"Hmm. I see. Perhaps we will meet again, Harry Potter. Goodbye."

* * *

"So, what are your impressions of him?"

Kirei frowned. Once he had returned to the church, Risei had spoken to him about the meeting. "…Earnest. More than a little unhinged. Quixotic. In truth…I think he was effectively a former child soldier. He reminds me of a couple I have encountered on missions for the Burial Agency. And given one of his questions you didn't hear, I believe he may have come, albeit inadvertently, from another world. So should he survive, I believe we should contact Zelretch and have this Harry Potter placed under his protection."

Risei raised an eyebrow. "From another world? That's unexpected."

"I don't believe him to be a liar. He seemed to omit things rather than lie outright," Kirei said.

"I'll contact the Wizard Marshall later, and let him know. However, a more concerning issue is these accusations. I would not put it past Zouken Matou to infest a girl so young with Crest Worms. My issue is with Potter's claim that Tokiomi willingly allowed this to happen. Therefore, I need you to go and see to Rin and Aoi at the Zenjou home forthwith. We have barely enough time before our diversionary operation begins. I want you to check them for mental tampering discreetly, and if they do have it, remove it, and question them. Also ensure that they will keep quiet for now if they have had their memories tampered with."

"And if Potter was telling the truth?"

"I intend to maintain the appearance of cooperating with Tokiomi, and we will act accordingly. However, we will be working to reunite Sakura with her mother and sister, as long as they do not intend to return to Tokiomi, or at least they try to keep her out of Zouken Matou's clutches. And a Grail War is dangerous. While it would be remiss of the Overseer to favour one Master over another, and for an old friend of Tokiomi's to allow his demise…" He left that part up in the air.

"And what of notifying Clock Tower?"

"At best, they wouldn't care enough. Zelretch might get involved if he feels offended enough, but I'm not sure he will…though he would support anyone who rescued Sakura. At worst, though…they tolerate Zouken because he toes the line of becoming a Dead Apostle. But Sakura…they may slap a Sealing Designation on her, vivisect her…I will not let that happen to an innocent little girl. Kirei…go and speak to Tokiomi's wife and daughter, and determine whether they have had their memories modified…"

* * *

"…I don't trust them," Jeanne said. "Or rather, I don't trust them entirely. The old priest is in too deep with Tokiomi, and the young priest…"

"Yeah, you called him the walking dead, hollow inside. What did you mean?"

"I meant what I said. He's someone who is dead inside, someone seeking meaning to their life, or their death. Those men are amongst the most dangerous in the world. Do not misunderstand me, if they do object to what is happening to Sakura, then we have, if not allies, then at least people who can make our goals easier. But I don't trust them."

"…Do you trust anyone?"

"…Do you? You told me of your life, Harry. Even if your friends were unable to help you, they could have and should have done more to…"

"THEY DID ALL THEY COULD! I DIDN'T WANT THEM TO DIE FOR ME!" Harry yelled suddenly, Jeanne recoiling. "Don't act like you know all of what it is to live my life! I got enough gloating from that hag Umbridge about how much they tried to help me, and it wasn't enough!" Then, the initial surge of fury gone, he said, a little more calmly, "…I'm not sure I can trust anyone in this world. Can I trust you?"

Jeanne opened her mouth, and shut it, before she scowled. "_Putain de bordel de merde_…look, I need you as a Master to gain my wish. You're interesting enough that I won't burn you and trade up for a better model, and your mana supply is pretty damn good. I may be more than a little insane, but I'm not stupid." A sardonic smirk touched her features. "Besides, it's not like I haven't been enjoying our little outings, even if they don't involve fire."

"You keep mugging people."

"I keep it confined to idiots who try to mug us."

"…You have a point."

"Exactly. You may hold me back, you may cling to the tattered remnants of your pathetic morals, and yet…you interest me. You intrigue me." She sat down on his lap, straddling him in a manner that was disturbingly lascivious, all with that damned smile. While not as cruel as many of her other ones, there was something about it that was predatory. And yet, he didn't feel inclined to push her off. Her smile softened, became less predatory, even as he blushed. "…You're so cute like this, so readily embarrassed."

"So are you."

"Am not."

"Are so."

Jeanne merely poked her tongue out in response. "Seriously, how childish can you get?" she complained.

"…And yet, you're straddling me. Why?"

"Because it's fun to watch you blush. Besides…it could be useful. There are many ways for Servants to get a boost of mana." She smirked.

He got her implication pretty quickly. "…You're kidding, aren't you? I can recharge you by sleeping with you?"

"I'm not joking. You could even call up the priest to confirm it if you want."

"…Let's put that on the backburner, okay? I've only known you for a few days, and while you're a beautiful girl, well, I don't go for sleeping with someone I barely know."

Jeanne pouted, though he noticed the glimmer of something in her eyes. Respect? And then, she said, getting off him, "Some soldiers I have known never gave women and girls in my day that courtesy…or even asked for their consent."

He blanched at the implication. "Does that mean you were…?"

"No. One of the few mercies I had in my life is that I was never raped," Jeanne said. "That being said, when I was imprisoned by the English, I know more than a few wanted to force themselves upon me. I actually wore more masculine clothes to prevent that. My title as _La Pucelle_, the Virgin, was still accurate by the time I was roasted alive. Still…it doesn't mean I want to _remain_ a virgin. But you're right. I won't force you, any more than you'd force me…though I'd roast you alive if you tried."

"…I'm not stupid, and I'm not _that_ crazy."

"I didn't think so. Just making sure," she said, before another smile, a strangely mocking and yet sad one touched her lips. "Even to one like me, you're so damned chivalrous. Even knowing that the closer you embrace fire, the more you get burned…"

"What can I say?" Harry said wearily. "I'm a Gryffindor. That's basically another way of saying I'm a chivalrous idiot that rushes in where saints fear to tread."

This actually got her to laugh, despite herself. That musical laugh, weary, but devoid of any malice, made her even more beautiful than he realised. Maybe that was part of the reason that he hoped, despite all the darkness and viciousness within her, there was still some remnant of the saint beneath…

**CHAPTER 5 ANNOTATIONS:**

**So, Risei's learned the truth, but he needs to confirm it. Meanwhile, Harry and Jalter are growing closer…but is that a good thing?**

**I intended to post this chapter a little earlier, but the review system of this website was playing up, and I wanted to answer any relevant reviews. So, with no further ado…**

**Review-answering time! ****Guest**** (regarding whether I have finished it or not, and the Killing Curse): I actually haven't finished the fic. I try to write a number of chapters in advance before posting a story, usually about 8 (at about 20K words). Luckily for you, I have finished 13 chapters. As for whether Harry will use the Killing Curse…keep in mind, that has some bad connotations for him. It's the same curse that killed his parents and a number of his friends. I'm not saying he won't, only that it's unlikely unless he's both backed into a corner and pissed.**

**Temporal Knight****: Aoi's main fault was that she went along with what Tokiomi did. She's a bloody doormat, not a malicious person, but she must be stupid if she didn't realise Kariya had a thing for her, which is what is implied in canon, as she tells Kariya during their fateful last confrontation that he never loved anyone. This is what breaks Kariya…and you know how that song and dance went. Also, Lancelot isn't killed off by Jalter, just badly injured, enough to force him to retreat.**

**Guest**** (regarding Jalter and Arturia being confused for each other): Gilles, remember, is a fucking nutjob by this point. Even Ryuunosuke, as insane as he is, recognises that the two are different people, even if he decides to humour his big-eyed BFF. As for Lancelot targeting Jalter, I recall somewhere that he targets Jeanne relentlessly in ****_Fate/Grand Order_****, can't remember where (probably the Orleans singularity). And he's got Madness Enhancement.**

**HolyKnight5****: Sadly, Gilles was summoned a few days earlier than in canon, something I wrote in to allow for Jalter to have more time with Harry.**

**Harmonious Arkos Sloth****: No, Ruler won't appear in this fic, save for as cameos as the 'good' part of Jalter's psyche. And she does interact with Kiritsugu briefly during the first battle, where she gives him an ultimatum: if he doesn't help them with Sakura, then he'd better stay out of the way. Otherwise, he will burn. She does this in a very Cinder Fall way, too, burning Kiritsugu's cheek lightly.**

**Dragon Man 180****: He was pretty much a normal snake size. The Basilisk in Book 2 was centuries old and had grown large over that time.**

**AznPuffyHair****: Keep in mind, when considering how Jalter will react to her former comrade in arms, that this is NOT the Jalter from ****_Fate/Grand Order_****. She's different in a number of ways. They will meet in a later chapter that I have already written.**

**No numbered annotations this time.**


	7. Chapter 6: Dread

**CHAPTER 6:**

**DREAD**

It was to Kirei's surprise that, when he turned up at the Zenjou home, he was soon confronted by a wary and suspicious Rin. And when she accused him of wanting to finish the job her father started, well…he now knew there was more to Harry Potter's accusations than a mere grudge against Tokiomi. It took him some time to reassure Rin that he wasn't there to do anything other than remove the memory block on Aoi (Rin having successfully resisted Tokiomi's hypnosis, an impressive feat for a girl who was only seven) and question them. Thankfully, Aoi's parents were out. It reduced the amount of awkward questions.

Still, it proved enlightening. Tokiomi had indeed tampered with their memories. Once her own memories had been restored, Aoi was horrified…and angry. An unusual state of affairs for the usually passive woman, who had very little steel to her. On Risei's suggestion, he explained the situation with Harry and Avenger, albeit in broad terms.

It was strange, he reflected, how much he enjoyed watching their faith in Tokiomi crumble. He stifled that little bit of schadenfreude. Anything he took pleasure in was sinful, if only because the things he derived pleasure from were sinful themselves.

"…So, Hebi was a wizard from another world?" Rin asked. "He wants to save Sakura?"

"Yes. He also holds considerable anger towards Tokiomi," Kirei said.

"_He_ holds considerable anger?" Aoi said, her voice flat, only her eyes betraying her own anger. "…I wondered why Kariya despised his own family so, why he seemed so upset about Sakura being adopted into the family. I had thought so unkindly of him, and yet…Tokiomi didn't deny it. He didn't even seem to care about anything other than Sakura's potential as a Magus! And when I told him I would have nothing of this…he _tampered_ with my memories." She began to sob, and Rin began comforting her mother.

"Why did you come to do this?" Rin asked, shooting Kirei a glare with her aqua eyes. "Aren't you supposed to be helping my father?"

"When my father heard of how much your father overreacted in attempting to track down and silence Harry Potter, it aroused his suspicions. My loyalty to my father and the Church supersedes that of my loyalty to Tokiomi Tohsaka. He asked me to investigate. I spoke to Harry after finding him, he told me of Tokiomi tampering with your memories, and indeed, I recognise the signature as Tokiomi's. I have learned under him for these past three years. My father cannot abide by something as vile as Sakura being subjected to Crest Worms. However, we cannot rescue her yet."

"Why not?!" Rin yelled.

"Because Zouken Matou is one of the most powerful Magi alive, Rin," Aoi explained gently. "He has centuries of experience and knowledge. And your father is also powerful, and he would oppose this."

"Precisely. And for the time being, Tokiomi and I will still maintain the appearance of being allies," Kirei said. "However, I will work towards obtaining your sister's freedom, even if it is only by increments. That being said, Harry Potter will probably make an attempt before I do, as will Kariya Matou. I will caution you, Aoi, if you do meet Kariya…he has changed due to his training. He is suffering from considerable physical debilitation due to the Crest Worms he is now infested with, according to Harry. His mental state has probably suffered as well. The pain he has gone through is probably indescribable in the most literal sense of the word."

"You think he may harm us?" Aoi asked.

"Normally, no. But he may not be in his right state of mind should he encounter you. However, it appears that he entered the Holy Grail War in an attempt to remove Sakura from the Matou family, though I daresay he holds a grudge against Tokiomi. Now, I must take my leave of you two, as I have an errand to run as part of the opening battle of this Grail War. Try to act as if everything is normal should Tokiomi speak to you. But make preparations to leave. Given Rin's descent from that line, the Edelfelts may welcome you."

"We're not leaving without Sakura," Aoi said firmly.

"Then you may be waiting some time. There is no guarantee that either Harry or Kariya will succeed in retrieving her. I have to point out the facts. Make contingencies just in case. I doubt either of you could stand up to either Tokiomi or Zouken Matou, after all…"

* * *

Jeanne looked at Harry, sleeping on the bed. She envied him in at least one regard. Servants didn't need to rest, and yet, she would have found it nice to be able to sleep, to rest, perchance to dream.

Except…to dream was to also have nightmares. She knew that if she slept, one night, she would dream once more of the fires that consumed her. She knew her Master had nightmares. More than once, he had woken up from them, not screaming, but certainly exclaiming in fright and horror.

So thin and pathetic. A scarecrow of a Master. It would be so easy to use La Pucelle to stab him in the heart, or cut off his wrist with the Command Seals, and thus torture him to death…

Wait, why was she thinking these things? An irritatingly moral Master he may be, but she needed him for mana. Plus, he was interesting. Maybe in the cursed sense of the term, but still…

"Oh, Jeanne, Jeanne, Jeanne, _mon petit idiot_," spoke a voice, a horribly familiar one. Jeanne felt the hand touch her shoulder. The smell of roasting flesh and wood smoke filled her nostrils. "You don't need him. Every Avenger has the skill of Self-Sustaining Mana. In other words, you don't need a Master. The very nature of an Avenger means that you can continue your existence until your revenge is through. He will be an obstacle that gets in the way."

Jeanne glanced down at the hand on her shoulder, charred, cracked, the blackened flesh weeping blood and pus. "Get your fucking hand off me," she snarled quietly.

"Make me," sing-songed the voice. But as she made to bat it off, it vanished. Then, another hand on her other shoulder.

"Do not listen to her," said another horribly familiar voice, more calm and measured. "You are better than that. We are better than that."

"Ooh, listen to the oh-so-pure saint," sneered the other voice. "100% pure bullshit, anyway!"

"_Vade retro, Satana._"

A scoff. "Go back whence you came, Satan? Puh-lease…if Hell really existed, we wouldn't be here. Then again, neither did Heaven. What does that say about your faith, huh? You half-baked saint…no, not even that. I'm not Satan…I'm you, you false saint. And I am stronger than you."

"I doubt that. You are but the merest sliver of shadow cast by my light. And shadows have little substance."

"So does light," sneered the first voice. "Light blinds just as much as the darkness does. Tell me…how many atrocities did you commit in the name of God? You just refuse to acknowledge it."

"I acknowledge it, even if I don't like it. But you do not acknowledge the good in things, only the bad."

"That's because the world is built on cruelty and suffering!" screamed the first voice. "If God exists, then we exist purely to dance on His strings like puppets for his amusement. He is not good and benevolent, but evil or apathetic! Your Master is weak, but you are strong! Stronger without him!" Suddenly, Jeanne found herself grabbed by the shoulder, and spun around to face the owner of the voice, and it was all she could do not to scream in horror.

It was a walking corpse, like something out of a horror movie. Most of the skin was red or black, burned and charred. Pus and blood oozed from every burned part. The apparition was clad in the burned remains of a simple smock, the charred rags doing nothing to cover their modesty, even if anything objectionable was so hideously charred as to be unrecognisable.

However, the face was, even if the right side was a molten burned ruin, a hideous lump of cooked flesh like something made of wax, left in the sun for too long. But there was no mistaking that face, as the left side was miraculously intact. Most of the hair was gone, either singed away or the scalp a ruined burn-riddled mess. Golden eyes glared out at her, one staring from a skull-like socket, the other set in the other side like a normal face.

"YOU WILL SEND GOD A MESSAGE, A SMOKE SIGNAL OF HUMAN LIVES!" her charred doppelganger roared into her face. "TELL HIM THAT YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT SORT OF WORLD THIS IS, AND THAT YOU WILL AVENGE YOURSELF ON HIM! EMIT A ROAR OF HATRED, LE GRONDEMENT DE LA HAINE!"

"SHUT UP!" Jeanne screamed, swatting at the doppelganger, causing her to disappear, cackling, in a burst of black smoke. She whirled, to find her there, another doppelganger, the oh-so-pure saint, with that banner, clad in white, still with the golden hair and amethyst eyes. She looked at her in disappointment, but left without any admonishment from Jeanne.

"Jeanne?!" Harry yelped, apparently having been woken by her scream. Emerald eyes looked at her with concern in the dark, but she didn't want to talk to him. Instead, she Astralized, fleeing out of the hotel room through the walls, ignoring his concerned cries. She fled into the night, running and rushing through the town at the speed of thought, ignoring the calls of her Master over their link. Eventually, she shut him out.

After what felt like an eternity of fleeing, she came to another part of town, a posher part. She was on a hill near a rather posh manor, she realised. That immaculately kept garden and that wonderfully expensive manor…she already wanted to raze it to the fucking ground. In fact, it seemed oddly familiar.

However, movement caught her eye, a shadow making its way through the garden towards an elaborate sculpture in the middle. With a start, she noticed what looked like a skull mask on the shadow. _Assassin!_ she thought, remembering this one from when Kirei found them. _But what is he doing here?!_

As Assassin reached for a jewel in the middle of the sculpture, his hand was suddenly impaled by a spear. Jeanne followed the trajectory of the spear in shock, and saw someone perched on the roof. A haughty, tall man with blonde hair swept up into a flame-like hairdo, and crimson eyes with slitted pupils. He wore golden armour, and ripples in space, glowing a gold colour, had weapons protruding at them. In a haughty sneer of a voice, he said, "…And who gave you leave to taint me with your gaze, worm? Know your place, and die like the worm you are, with your filthy visage planted in the base earth."

Suddenly, the weapons blasted out, converging on Assassin, who was promptly obliterated in the destructive rain. _Another Servant?_ Jeanne thought. _But which one? Too lucid to be a Berserker. I just saw Assassin getting turned into mince. Lancer? Archer? Caster? Saber? Rider?_

As she retreated, she considered the options. Of them, she thought an Archer, a Caster, or a Rider was best for any hypothesis. An Archer was a master of long-ranged combat, and maybe hurling weapons like that counted. Casters could use magic, so maybe that was just a weird form of magic. Riders typically had more Noble Phantasms than other classes, and those weapons that turned Assassin into mulch were Noble Phantasms, she was certain of it.

Still, even as she made her way away from that estate, something about that bothered her. She knew Kirei Kotomine was the Master of Assassin, and yet, would he have sacrificed his Assassin so early on? He didn't strike her as being stupid or impulsive.

So she decided to search for him, before finding him walking along a road from a hill overlooking the estate. For a moment, she was content to just observe him, and noted that his Command Seals, far from being faded like they would have been had Assassin really died, were still there. She chuckled as she Deastralized near him. "So…a little ruse, huh? Assassin isn't really dead?"

He seemed to realise his mistake, as he covered his Command Seals with the other hand. She just chuckled. "Oh, don't worry, I won't say anything, for now. Were you testing that Servant out?"

"Hardly," Kirei said. "That was Tokiomi Tohsaka's Servant, an Archer."

Jeanne, after a brief moment of surprise, snorted. "You can't just chuck weapons at the enemy and call yourself an Archer. That's like throwing spellbooks and potions at someone and calling themselves a Caster. So…if you weren't testing his Servant…ahhh…this was what you were planning to do before you learned about the Crest Worms. I'll keep quiet for now. After all, I do hope you're going to help us with Sakura."

"Even if we don't, you have our quiet support," Kirei said. "Tell your Master that I visited Aoi and Rin. They confirmed your Master's story, and indeed, Rin managed to resist Tokiomi's memory erasure. They are understandably far from happy with the situation, and considering how devoted they were to Tokiomi, that is quite impressive."

"I'm sure. The destruction of absolute faith is a beautiful thing to behold…from the outside. For one experiencing it…it is Hell. We will pick the right time to retrieve Sakura. But rest assured, Zouken Matou will burn, as will Tokiomi Tohsaka. As for his Servant…well, I wonder how well that pissy golden armour stands up to the flames of Hell? Food for thought…"

**CHAPTER 6 ANNOTATIONS:**

**So, truths have been uncovered, but Jalter is showing signs of her derangement. Oh dear.**

**The reason why Jalter has those two sides is due to the way she was created. The burned, charred part of her is basically her dark side, amplified by Angra Mainyu's editing and taint, and her appearance was based on basically a hybrid of herself, Two-Face from the Batman comics, and the Memory of Alessa from ****_Silent Hill 3_****. The canon Jeanne is basically her original self, because this version of Jalter was based on a copy of canon Jeanne's memories and Saint Graph. The reason why they're showing up as other voices in her head is…well, Jalter was created in a different manner to her self in ****_Fate/Grand Order_****. **

**Instead of being created as a whole entity by the Holy Grail via Gilles' wishes, she was created by committee, by Angra Mainyu ghost-writing her based on a pirated Saint Graph of her taken from the Throne of Heroes, and based on his interpretation of Gilles' wishes. She's basically a Frankenstein's Monster, stitched together out of disparate parts, and it's showing on her psyche. This isn't to show Jalter struggling with a devil and an angel on her shoulder, at least not wholly. This is more about her broken psyche and Angra Mainyu's influence than her morality.**

**Review-answering time! ****OBSERVER01****: Yes. Risei, I'd imagine, wouldn't take kindly to Tokiomi ****_knowingly_**** doing this. ****_Unknowingly_****, yes, I can see Risei giving Tokiomi the benefit of the doubt, but ****_knowingly_****? His collusion with Tokiomi aside, Risei strikes me as being a somewhat moral character.**

**Have a Little Feith****: I've…never heard that variation of the saying before. Huh. Is that really the full saying, or is that just someone's witty little variant of it?**

**Dragon Man 180****: I could say that there isn't anything in the church to get drunk off save for communion wine, but Gilgamesh appropriating wine to drink himself puts the lie to that, so I'll just say that Risei's just going to bear with it for now.**

**Harmonious Arkos Sloth****: *sigh* Really? I have at least three ****_RWBY_**** crossovers on my profile (one of my Guest reviewers makes that clear), I've watched the first season, as well as the first parts of the second, seen clips and read elements from the other seasons, so yeah, while I'm not a hardcore fan, I do like the show. Hell, my first season Blu-Ray is signed by Jen Brown and Arryn Zech. As for the Delacours, one idea I considered thanks to Arawn D Draven was having a Delacour as a reincarnation of Jalter, but I decided against it.**

**Guest****: Harry has a bit more to him than that, at least by this point. He's still seeking a purpose in life, but he's not as suicidal as he was, though he's arguably as reckless as Shirou, though more out of anger than self-sacrifice. And your comparison with certain fanfic versions of Bellatrix wasn't wholly wrong, as I did draw some parallels with Bellatrix. That being said, Jalter doesn't do 'wild monkey sex', though she would be wild in the sack. She'd be a bit more discerning and less lustful than that phrase seems to imply. She still views physical intimacy as having some sort of meaning, remnants of the saint within her.**

**As for her identity being figured out, it's actually Arturia who puts it together after the dock battle concludes, based on her earlier comments. I'm sure Kirei and Risei are hindered by the fact that Jeanne d'Arc is a canonized saint, and is seemingly unlikely to do so. You also missed out Shirou Emiya himself in being oblivious to the attentions of the fairer sex.**

**No numbered annotations this time.**


	8. Chapter 7: Fraying

**CHAPTER 7:**

**FRAYING**

"They know about our ruse, Father," Kirei said to Risei after he made it back to the church and reported to Tokiomi, before sending Assassin out as scouts. "Avenger stumbled across our little farce, and noticed that my Command Seals were still intact. She claims she will keep it secret for now."

Risei frowned, considering his son's words. "…Unfortunate, but for now, we'll have to hope that she keeps her word. While we are no longer working for Tokiomi's interests, we are still maintaining the pretence that we are. In truth, should we declare our interests severed…I don't think Tokiomi would react well."

"You say that as if he would attempt to attack the church," Kirei observed.

"I doubt it would be anything so drastic," Risei said. "Not unless Tokiomi abandons every scrap of reason. However, if he does, we would have only a slender chance of escape. He did summon Gilgamesh of Uruk as an Archer, and as you saw, even a mere fraction of his power is frightening."

"At least you have some small scrap of sense, priest," came a haughty sneer of a voice, and in a flurry of golden particles, Archer, aka Gilgamesh, the demigod king of Mesopotamia, appeared.

"Why do you come here, Archer?" Risei asked, feeling a thrill of fear. If the mercurial and haughty Archer had overheard their conversation…

However, the golden-clad king scoffed. "Curiosity. My Master has been paranoid about some Magus who can transform into a snake. I overheard him muttering about a daughter he discarded to some filthy worms when he thought I was absent. And now, I hear that you speak treason most fluently." He held up a gauntleted hand. "Fear not. If I had any notion that this offended me, then this church and all within it would be a smouldering crater, regardless of the rules of this trivial little tournament. In truth, Tokiomi is a boring man, and this little farce of yours is more diverting than the one you orchestrated earlier. So, tell me…" His crimson eyes, with vaguely reptilian slitted pupils, bore into Risei's own, the will behind them suffocating and stifling. "Why do you have such issues with my Master?"

* * *

"I don't want to talk about it."

Harry scowled at Jeanne. He'd gone back to sleep, surprisingly, long before she came back…or at least made her return known to him. Then again, he was so very bloody tired lately, ever since Azkaban. "You woke me up when screaming to yourself. That's not normal."

"Of course it's not bloody normal! I'm not a normal Servant, dammit!" Jeanne snapped. And the thing was, even as her golden eyes danced with anger, they also glimmered with tears.

"I know that already!" he snapped back, his anger getting the better of him, even when the situation didn't really call for it. "Listen! I told you about my life, and you should know by now one thing I despise. _I despise people who keep secrets from me_."

"And I barely know you!" Jeanne retorted. "How can I trust you?"

"How can I trust _you?_" he threw back at her coldly. And judging by the wince she had, he'd scored a hit.

"…You can't," Jeanne said, turning away from him. "Avengers have three class skills. Avenger: I accumulate and accrete ill will and hatred, as well as fuelling my mana reserves when I am damaged. Memory Correction: I remember every wrong and slight that has been done to me, something that boosts my strength at critical moments. And Mana Self-Replenishment: my mana reserves are topped up continuously, allowing me to survive until my vengeance is complete. In other words, technically, I don't need you as a Master. I could take your head or gut you like a fish or burn you to ashes and I would last a long time without you. So no, you **_can't_** trust me." Then, under her breath, but just audible to Harry, she said, sadly, "Any more than I can trust myself."

Harry, however, only had one response to that. While her rant did nothing to lessen his trust issues that sprang up after last night (if anything, they made things worse), he did have one rebuttal to it. "So, why did you come back, then?"

"_Ferme ta gueule!_" she snapped over her shoulder. Then, she seemed to calm herself down. "More importantly, I discovered something interesting. The priest used Assassin to try and attack Tokiomi Tohsaka last night, only for Tohsaka's Servant, an Archer, to turn him into mince. Only…it was apparently a ploy. Assassin must have some Noble Phantasm allowing him to cheat death, as the Command Seals were still on the priest when I ran into him afterwards. What's more, he'd been to see Aoi and Rin. They've confirmed your story."

He didn't like the fact that she had changed the subject, but he knew he was unlikely to get anything from the obstreperous Avenger any time soon. Still…he couldn't help but pity her. What she said, and what happened last night, indicated some sort of mental problems, and while disturbing and potentially dangerous, he also noted how distressed she herself was by them. He could use a Command Seal, but would that backfire? Something told him that it would, and _badly_.

Deciding that he wouldn't be able to get anything further from her for now, he said, "Well, we'll need to keep an eye on Sakura, and find the right moment to get her. As it is, we'll have to change hotels again."

"Things may be heating up too," Jeanne said, apparently glad he'd gone along with changing the subject. "I'd bet any money they staged that little farce for familiars of the other Masters, or why else would they go so far to fake Assassin's death? They need an audience for such a ploy to work, after all. So…I think the first proper battle of the Grail War might be happening soon. When we find you a nice little place to stay the night, I'll go for a walk. To look for Servants, you must understand, so it'll be a _very enthusiastic_ walk."

"…Why does that feel bloody ominous?" Harry voiced his thoughts. And Jeanne's vicious grin didn't help matters. Not one iota…

* * *

Part of her hated herself for not opening up to him. For all that she was an Alter version of Jeanne d'Arc, there were still some vestiges of the saint within her, and she felt the need to reciprocate his honesty and frankness with her own. But the rest of her sneered at such a thing as trusting him like this. He was a supply of mana and entertainment, and she was vengeance incarnate. She didn't need something so…soft as a shoulder to lean on, to cry on.

But why? Was it pride? Stubbornness? A need to prove that she wasn't the oh-so-pure saint? That she wasn't soft? That damned saint she was in life went to her death more or less willingly. She had no desire to be soft again, or so she told herself.

In truth, to say that Jeanne was conflicted was saying the ocean was a little wet. Because she had just enough self-reflection to realise something was very badly wrong with her. Beyond being a pyromaniacal and ruthless alter-ego of Jeanne d'Arc, which was obvious.

Because that was the point, wasn't it? She wasn't the real Jeanne d'Arc. Well, technically, that was true already. A Servant was a Xeroxed copy of a Heroic Spirit on the Throne of Heroes, an aspect of them. But that was fine. She could cope with the existential angst there.

No, what really got her was the certain knowledge that she was a tampered copy, an edited copy. Not merely an aspect of the real Jeanne d'Arc, but rather something someone tampered with. She knew, looking at her memories, which had an edited feel to them, that someone or something had fucked around with her head, turning her psyche into a Frankenstein's Monster of crudely stitched-together fragments.

And she hated that.

The existential angst that came with it was bad enough, to say nothing of the questionable sanity. Last night, she had to deal with two voices in her head that weren't her own. Well, technically they were, the oh-so-pure saint, and that fried crispy version of herself, but they weren't her voices, any more than the voice she claimed to be God in real life would have been. She must have been mad to follow them in life.

But what was worse than the existential angst and the dubious sanity was the fact that _her head had been fucked around with_. Someone or something had edited her into this form for some reason. And that made her angry. Her mind and soul had been molested, and she hated that.

She wasn't the real Jeanne d'Arc, she had realised. Not even a copy like most Servants. No, she was a fiction, created for someone else's benefit. She didn't know who, and she didn't know why, but if she learned who was behind it, _she would fucking __**burn**__ them to __**ashes**_.

As they walked down the streets, Jeanne frowned when her reverie was interrupted by the sensation of the presence of a Servant. Far enough away that she couldn't see them amongst the crowd, but she knew she had to act fast. If she wasn't careful, Harry could be identified as her Master.

Thankfully, she got the answer as they reached a takeaway restaurant. Pushing him at the door, she said, "Go get us something to eat." Over their link, she added, "_There's a Servant nearby, I need you out of sight, just in case._"

Annoyed, he nonetheless acquiesced. Her refusal to discuss her fragmented psyche clearly rubbed him the wrong way. Part of her sneered in contempt at him for that, for being a weakling who had no right to pry into her business, while another part yearned to reciprocate his frankness, and yet was afraid of what he would do in response.

She looked for the Servant, and saw her on the other side of the street, escorting a beautiful young woman with albino features, snow white hair and crimson eyes. The Servant was dressed in a suit, with blonde hair and beautiful emerald eyes, so much like Harry's, albeit without the reptilian slit that needed hiding behind sunglasses. The face was androgynous, but Jeanne knew she was a woman. She even resembled her, albeit vaguely. And she had spotted her. Their eyes met, and the other Servant's eyes narrowed slightly.

Jeanne, feeling impish, merely waved cheerfully, a gesture of goodwill that did not fool the other Servant. Still, even as the Servant subtly hastened her Master away, Jeanne was sure she knew quite a bit about the Servant already. She had seen Archer and Assassin, and this woman…no, a girl in her late teens, but with the attitude and bearing of a woman, seemed too lucid to be a Berserker. She didn't quite match a Caster either, unless she was confident to leave her territory.

In fact, Jeanne would have bet that the Servant was a Saber, a Rider, or a Lancer at the outside. Her very attitude screamed that of a knight. No, more than that. That woman was a leader of knights. Perhaps even royalty.

How utterly disgusting. Jeanne _despised_ kings. During her childhood, King Henry V had laid claim to France, and had continued the conflict between England and France that would become known as the Hundred-Years War. His son, Henry VI, was a fuckwit who was, admittedly, only a child when she began to fight back, but still…the Grail showed his later reign to be pitiful, sparking the conflict that would become known as the Wars of the Roses. And then, there was the King of France, or two of them. Charles VI was insane, even believing he was made of glass, and having metal rods fitted to his clothes to prevent himself from breaking.

And then, there was Charles VII. She had given her all to bring him back to the throne, and he lifted not a single finger to save her from being burned at the stake. He owed his throne to her, and he repaid her with treachery. Oh, he got her exonerated posthumously, according to the Grail, but he could have done more to save her when she was still alive. That pathetic weakling…oh, she would love to go back in time and set the dithering bastard on fire. True, he died slowly and painfully of an illness, ulcers popping up everywhere, starving to death because he couldn't swallow food or drink, but still…that fucker deserved to burn for not helping her. If Hell existed, she hoped he had a nice spot in the flames.

Jeanne, then, despised kings. And she was fairly sure, though not actually certain, that that girl was royalty, and of the sort that went into battle. Well, Archer was possibly one himself. He certainly had an arrogant enough bearing for one. Then again, hubris was not the sole province of kings, so she couldn't swear to that.

That Archer, though…that was disturbing. Each of the weapons he fired out of those openings in space were Noble Phantasms, more than any one Servant should reasonably possess, and she doubted they were unique to him. One was the norm, but three or four was the limit, usually. Or maybe that was the point. Maybe his Noble Phantasm wasn't any of the ones he fired at Assassin, but rather, those gates in space he extracted them from.

Once Harry emerged from the restaurant, food in hand, she said, "She saw me. Thankfully, she didn't see you. A Servant, with her Master in tow, one with white hair and red eyes."

"Assuming that's her real Master," Harry said, handing her her meal.

Hmm, he had a point, she reflected as she ate what were amusingly called French Fries, at least in America. Harry tended to call them chips. Still, the potato hadn't come to Europe yet in her time.

She sighed. Despite the information the Grail shoved into her head, despite the fact that Harry was more helpful than any Master of her should be, she was actually quite adrift in this time and place. As far as she knew, Europeans had never even made it to Japan until decades after her death. She was practically on the other side of the world from France.

And this was over five centuries, closer to six, after her death. The world had changed much in that time, and even with the Grail's information, she still found it a little overwhelming, not that she would ever admit it. People flew through the sky like it was routine, and had even managed to send a dozen men to the Moon. Instant communication with different parts of the world was mundane here, and yet, it would have been denounced as witchcraft in her time. And about half a century before, nuclear weapons were used against this very country, devastating bombs that could wipe out most of a city with a single blast, comparable with more than a few Noble Phantasms.

Thinking about that made Jeanne scowl inwardly. While she was all for causing death and destruction, the Magi who founded the Holy Grail War clearly didn't care enough about collateral damage, allowing seven (well, eight in these circumstances) Servants to wreak havoc in this city. In truth, Jeanne, despite her bloodthirstiness, held one principle dear. She was innocent of the crimes she was burned at the stake for, and as such, those who were innocent did not deserve death. It was why she felt so strongly about Sakura being infested by Crest Worms, about Rin having her memories tampered with by her father.

She was no saint, despite her origins. But she would burn any fool who dared harm an innocent. That, she knew…

**CHAPTER 7 ANNOTATIONS:**

**Oh dear. Harry and Jeanne are not quite as close allies as they seemed to be…but will they fall apart?**

**Ironically, this was the point in the story where it nearly fell apart. I was worried that Harry was being too apathetic and uninvolved in the story, and I nearly abandoned this story before I could post it as a full one. After some time away from it, I came back, re-read it, and decided to change what I had written of this chapter. And I feel more satisfied with the result.**

**Review-answering time! ****AznPuffyHair****: Her mental instability (she's technically not outright insane, as she is more than capable of functioning in society, theoretically) is indeed due to her patchwork creation, causing a form of psychological dissonance. She's more struggling to define her own identity than to decide between good or evil. And Aoi is struggling to deal with the shock. As for Kirei…who knows? I generally make him into a villain for my stories so far, but I could make him an anti-hero like I did with my ****_Thor_**** crossover ****_Light the Blue Touch Paper and Run Like Hell_****. **

**And by the way, Jalter's snarking about Gilgamesh's method of attack is actually a bit of a nod to a similar complaint Rin has in Episode 0 of Project Mouthwash's ****_Fate/Stay Night: Unlimited Blade Works Abridged_**** after EMIYA snarks that Lancer could throw his spear at them and he'd be called an Archer (Rin believing, until the end of the episode, that EMIYA is NOT an Archer, despite his protests to the contrary, but a Saber…she also believes he is Actually Satan. The 'Actually' is important, according to her). After Rin complains that you can't just chuck things at people and call yourself an Archer, EMIYA promptly asks Rin flatly if she's so sure about that.**

**ZLC genesmith****: I honestly don't know who will discover that the Holy Grail is a monkey's paw first, but Jalter has already begun to realise that she is a fictional version of the original saint, and that someone's dicked around with her. After she meets Gilles, she believes (only partially correctly) that he is responsible. She…doesn't take that well, as you'll discover in Chapter 13.**

**Dragon Man 180****: Jalter is too rabid for his liking. Arturia seemed to attract him because of her will, purity and strength. And no, Harry can't.**

**Lu Bane Na****: The revelation of her identity comes after the battle has ended, and in a more quiet, character driven moment. Rest assured, though, Jalter uses her Noble Phantasm not once, but twice during the battle. As well as snarking or trash-talking at almost everyone present, save for Irisviel and Waver.**

**Skull Flame****: Kirei may be a psychopath, but he denies that part of himself. He was raised by his father to have a moral compass, so what Tokiomi did to Sakura still disturbs and disgusts him. Plus, he follows his father's leave, and Risei, his collusion with Tokiomi aside, I feel is a moral man.**

**OBSERVER01****: Fuck Archer Gilgamesh. If I wanted to do any fic where he is better, I'd do a fic involving him as a Caster. He's a prick in the Babylonia chapter of ****_Fate/Grand Order_****, but he becomes a bit more likeable as time goes by, once he stops treating the protagonists with disdain. Unlike Archer Gilgamesh, it's clear Caster Gilgamesh actually gives a shit about other people…**

**No numbered annotations this time.**


	9. Chapter 8: Convergence

**CHAPTER 8:**

**COVERGENCE**

"I don't like this," Harry said. "I don't like the thought of sitting on my arse while you do the dirty work."

Jeanne rolled her eyes. They were in their latest hotel room, a bit more classy than the ones they had been staying in, thanks to another donation from a would-be mugger. Harry had to admire her restraint if nothing else. "And Servants have superhuman strength and abilities. Tokiomi is no doubt out hunting for you, and with someone called the Magus Killer working as one of the Masters…well, even if the title is hyperbole, it must have some small grain of truth. In other words, he's a specialist in killing Magi. Even if you're no Magus but a wizard, I still wouldn't doubt that he is capable of killing you. So I want you out of harm's way."

"Why? You said it yourself, you can exist without my mana," Harry said, still feeling bitter about this morning.

"_Putain de bordel del merde_," she groaned, rolling her eyes again. "Just because I _can_ doesn't necessarily mean I _will_. You summoned me. Unlike many who deserted me in life, I have some small sense of loyalty. Besides, I may be able to exist without a supply of mana, but if I have to fight, I may not be able to prevail, as much as it galls me to admit it. With a Master, my chances increase. So you're not in any real danger of me killing you."

"…Really? After all that brouhaha this morning? So how can I trust you, then?"

She opened her mouth to retort angrily, before she thought better of it, apparently. Still, he'd had much of the day to think about why she was distressed, why he was woken up by her screaming. Maybe he was about to embark on Ron Weasley-levels of tactlessness, but still…he needed to resolve this.

"You're not the real Jeanne d'Arc, are you?"

"Of course not! Servants are just carbon copies of the original Heroic Spirit, and even just aspects at that, so…"

"…That's not it. There really was never much of a dark side to the real Jeanne d'Arc, was there?"

"…Shut up," she muttered under her breath.

"Your memories…they didn't feel real. They felt edited somehow when I saw them in my dreams," Harry said.

"I said shut up!" Jeanne snapped, turning away, shaking with…rage? Anxiety? It was hard to tell.

But probably foolishly, he continued on. "You're a fiction?" he asked, in a pitying tone. He knew he was hitting the mark, and while he knew this was dangerous, being a Gryffindor hadn't helped his impulsiveness. Neither had time in Azkaban. He got up, and hugged her. She stiffened in his embrace, before breaking out of it.

"_Ta gueule!_" she snapped angrily. "I'm real! I'm more real than that saint! I'm the anger and hatred she should have had! I'm what she should have been after all the betrayal! I…I…" She turned back to him, her expression furious, but her baleful golden eyes glittered with tears. "I'm not a fucking fiction! Like you're one to talk, anyway. You embraced the fiction that grew up around you. The Boy Who Lived, you told me they called you. But they turned on you, just as they turned on me, the Maid of Orleans." She scoffed bitterly. "No wonder you summoned me."

He tried hugging her again, despite how she reacted before. "…Look, I don't care if you're fictional. I mean, we're going up against heroes from myth as well as history, right?" he said, desperate to make a connection with his Servant before he would have to be forced to greater measures. She'd sworn at him in French and seemed to fluctuate between aggression, snark, and a surprisingly soft nature. "You're angry, despairing, and afraid. I get that, I've lived that. Jeanne…I want to be able to trust you. I need to be able to trust you. So please…try to trust me. If you were just an evil knockoff of Jeanne d'Arc, you probably would have killed already. But you listened to me. That proves you've still got something of the real Jeanne d'Arc in you, in fact, that you've got something of a decent human being. Just let me in, show me that you're more than just an evil knockoff of her. _Please_."

She didn't relax into his embrace, but neither did she throw it off like just a short moment ago. "Are you that desperate to be like a moth to the flame?"

"…I'm alone in this world. Getting close to a fire is the only option I have."

And then, her hands were on his own back, returning the embrace. "Idiot," she muttered, but the word was filled with, if not affection, then it held no venom or malice. "You really are that desperate to trust me. I…I don't even know what to think about that." She then pushed him away, gently, and her golden eyes met his. "…I still don't want to talk about it. It's…painful. I'm just one big steaming heap of issues. I don't think you can save me."

"Hermione said I had a saving people thing. And while I don't give more than second chances to people who don't deserve it…well, you haven't really done anything yet to need a second chance, have you?"

She chuckled, bitterly. "…Is that it? You think I can be saved, because even though I am darkness and hatred and wrath, I haven't actually killed anyone you object to yet? Or raped them? Or anything really beyond mugging some punks who had it coming? Haven't you ever heard of the fable of the Farmer and the Viper?"

"No, but I can talk to snakes. Hell, I can turn into a Basilisk."

She cackled, a cracked braying sound, at that. "…A farmer finds a viper injured and starving. He nurses it back to health, only for the viper to bite him. The farmer, dying, realises that to show pity and kindness to those of an evil and dangerous nature is folly. You should know this. It was the people you helped, the people you saved, who betrayed you, time and again."

"But you haven't really betrayed me yet. You're hiding stuff from me, but…"

"Even if I don't betray you on a whim, Harry…I'm an Avenger. My desire for vengeance takes precedence. It's like a Berserker's Madness Enhancement. Anyway…link your senses to my own if you can. I'll be back, hopefully before too long."

"Actually, I might go out for dinner tonight. You don't mind?"

"Just don't get yourself into trouble, okay?"

He very nearly asked what could go wrong, but he realised just before the question left his lips that it was a stupid thing to say, given his luck. Better not to tempt fate in the first place. It'd be healthier for him…

* * *

He'd hit upon the idea of covering both his hands in bandages after their first stay in a hotel. People tended not to look too close if they thought he had an injury of some sort. Still, some still stared, wondering what injuries he probably sustained.

His burns had been healed, but they left scars along his arm and hand now. So he covered them up, for now. They still itched and ached, but he strove to ignore the pain. The bandages would cover the scars…as well as his Command Seals.

He had a meal in the Fuyuki Hyatt, a bit of a fair way away from their own hotel. While his (stolen) clothes weren't exactly too bad for the snazzy hotel, they did draw a few looks, though his bandages drew more looks. Soon, he was at the bar, having a drink (he was only going to have one alcoholic one, choosing instead to have some Cokes), when someone sat next to him. "Haven't seen you here before," said a woman in English, with a refined British accent, after ordering a drink in Japanese.

Harry looked over at her. She was dressed in a simple white blouse and black trousers, her red hair putting Harry in mind of Ginny. "I just came here for the night. Had a bad mishap, want to drink it away. You from England?"

"Yes. You too, it seems. Sorry, I just saw someone I could speak in English to. My fiancée dragged me out to Japan for business, and he's decided to leave me to my own devices while he takes care of business." Her voice became tinged with bitterness at this. "What's your name?"

"Sirius Black. Like the star. My family had a bad sense of humour," Harry said. "You?"

"Oh, I'm Sola-Ui Nuada-Re Sophia-Ri. Yes, I know, it's not really a common name. Makes yours seem mundane by comparison," Sola-Ui said.

Harry shrugged. "Your parents must have hated you. It's a nice name, just…weird. Though I get the feeling you're not happy with your fiancée."

She knocked back the drink she had been brought by the bartender. "Arranged marriage. Yes, I know, it's stupid to have them in this day and age. The sad thing is, I know he adores me, and wouldn't dare look at another woman…but he's also an utter tosspot who places too much pride in his lineage and his toys. He has this cousin who is a little brat, and she still manages to be more likeable than he is, because she's got more brains and balls than most of his family put together(1). He's also a teacher, and he's got a bee in his bonnet because a student he dressed down stole something from him. I don't know why I'm telling you this, though. Maybe I need someone to vent to. He's got this nice man helping us out, but he won't hear a word against my fiancée, so I can't vent to him."

"Huh. I'm sorry to hear that. My list of problems are a bit too long to vent about myself, and I doubt you want to listen. But I did meet this girl. Beautiful, but she's got one hell of a temper, and she's got her own issues. She went through some traumas not so long ago, like I did. It's trying to work them out that's a bit troublesome, but I want to help her."

Sola-Ui chuckled bleakly. "She must be pretty lucky to have someone like you. At least you choose to be with her, right?"

"Well, we were sort of thrown together by chance, but yeah. Still…I think she's a good person, even if she doesn't think she is…"

* * *

If she had heard the conversation, Jeanne would have sneered at such an assessment, at least outwardly. She would have been touched, even if only subconsciously, by the faith her Master had in her. But as she made her way through the city, searching for other Servants, she found her thoughts troubled.

Did she really deserve her Master's faith? That he wanted to believe that she could become a good person, no, that she was, fundamentally, a good person, despite all evidence to the contrary? She couldn't help but scoff. And yet…some part of her wanted to live up to that assessment.

So caught up in her thoughts, she almost didn't notice the couple from earlier today coming up behind her. At least not until she heard the voice calling out, "So, there you are."

Jeanne blinked at the proud, calm and assured tones. She then turned to face them. She noticed the albino woman and her protector, looking like a bodyguard. She quickly looked at the albino's hands, and noted a distinct lack of Command Seals. A decoy, then? Noticing the wariness of the blonde's posture, she said, "So, you found me? Sorry, I wasn't really paying attention. So, we meet again. Properly, this time. So, which class are you?"

"I am Saber. What of you?" The voice of Saber had an English accent, but with a touch of…Welsh, was it?

Jeanne gave a vicious grin. "Avenger."

"Avenger!" the albino gasped, her accent German. "So you are the one who attacked Maiya?"

Jeanne blinked in surprise. "…Maiya? Ahhh…I see. You are associated with Kiritsugu Emiya. Rest assured, I have no intention of fighting you at the moment unless you press the issue. I was just going on an enthusiastic walk through the city to see if I could encounter any of you and see what you were like."

"Was what you said about the Matous and Tokiomi Tohsaka true?" the albino asked.

Jeanne narrowed her eyes. "Why lie when the truth is more effective as a weapon? My Master intends to save Sakura, and put an end to both Zouken Matou and Tokiomi Tohsaka. If you want to help out or stay out of it, well, I don't mind, either way. But…get in the way, and _I __**will**__ burn you to a fucking __**crisp**_. Do we have a sound basis for communication?"

Saber, after a moment, nodded. "If my Master gives me leave to, then I will assist you. However, he is still deciding on whether to help, and how to help."

Jeanne found herself impressed. Saber must have been one of those chivalric types. How utterly boring, and yet, she knew many great people under her who were great adherents to chivalry. Like Gilles, before his alleged fall into madness and depravity, according to the Grail. And like herself, before the English and their treacherous allies burned her alive. But she was also repulsed by the chivalric response. It didn't do _her_ any good. "Hmph. A faithful dog. Still, at least you seem to want to help. So as a courtesy, I won't target you or this woman unless you target me first. By the way, you there, White Hair and Red Eyes, what's your name?"

"Irisviel von Einzbern," the albino said. "You seem rather…calm for an Avenger. I would have thought such a class would have been more belligerent."

"Oh, I can be more belligerent if you want, but I'm more after entertainment tonight," Jeanne said. "Another reason not to target you, _n'est-ce pas?_" She then cursed inwardly at the slip-up. She had been trying to disguise her accent whenever she spoke to anyone but Harry while they were alone, but letting slip a French phrase gave a possible clue to her origin.

"Entertainment?" Saber asked, seemingly offended by her choice of words. "This is an honourable clash between heroes, and you dare call it entertainment?!"

Jeanne scoffed. "Okay, a few things, Saber. One, I'm not a hero. Can you think of any hero who would get summoned under the Avenger class? I'm clearly no saint. And if I'm here, then it stands to reason that there are others not as honourable as you are. Two, Magi are notoriously amoral, and your Master, from what I've heard, is an infamous assassin. Do you think he has any real shred of honour? And three, I can view it as entertainment if I damn well please! Who wouldn't want to see figures from myth and history duke it out? Hell, if Magi weren't so damned obsessed with secrecy, you could make one hell of a killing by making it into a spectator sport. So get off your high horse, Your Highness. As long as I don't target you or von Einzbern here, you should be happy."

Judging by the way her eyes widened, and then narrowed when Jeanne called her 'Your Highness', Jeanne realised her earlier guess of Saber being nobility or even royalty was spot-on. "I noticed you did not include my Master in your wording."

"If he takes potshots at me, I will burn him…though not before ramming a stake so far up his arse, he'll be picking his teeth with the pointy end," Jeanne snarked. "Though even a proficient assassin would not be so stupid as to directly attack a Servant, right? Well, if I'm being a gooseberry, I'll be on my way. I mean, while I grew up in a time when women couldn't love each other, well, who am I to judge? Have fun on your date!"

And with that, she strutted away from the two, feeling Saber's glare at her back even as Irisviel spluttered in astonishment. Still…she believed she found something as entertaining, if not more so, than burning the wicked. After all, trolling the virtuous was proving to be very entertaining indeed…

**CHAPTER 8 ANNOTATIONS:**

**Oh dear. Jalter's discovered that trolling Arturia is fun. Run for the hills…assuming they're safe.**

**Review-answering time! ****Dragon Man 180****: Most people place the real King Arthur, if he really existed, around 400 or 500 AD or so (at least one source claims that the Battle of Camlann and thus Arthur and Mordred's deaths took place in 537 AD). The Nasuverse, I believe, places it at about 500 AD as well (in fact, an upcoming Lostbelt in the Japanese version of ****_Fate/Grand Order_**** will be set during Arthurian times, and the time is stated to be 500 AD). Jeanne…has mixed feelings. While Arturia is both a king and English, Jeanne also knows enough of her story to know that Arturia was not a conqueror, but rather, acted like her in life, defending her country from invaders, so of the three kings in ****_Fate/Zero_****, she has the most affinity and sympathy for Arturia.**

**1\. Sola-Ui is referring to Reines who, while very young here, is presumably as precocious and intelligent as her self from the ****_Lord El-Melloi II Case Files_****.**


	10. Chapter 9: The First Clash

**CHAPTER 9:**

**THE FIRST CLASH**

It didn't take Jeanne long to sense something. Admittedly, she had Astralized to avoid further comment from Saber or her escort (or was it the other way around? Given the way she acted, like a knight, that wouldn't surprise her), and was currently meandering towards a dock complex, knowing those two would probably head the same way. However, she soon sensed the presence of another Servant, soon after she arrived at the docks.

Curious, she made her way through the warren of shipping containers, before she came across a man standing at the ready. A Lancer, then, judging by the pair of long, phallic spears he wielded. Easy on the eyes too, with that figure-hugging black bodysuit, slender but strong figure, and _Mon Dieu_, that face, with the handsome features and honey-coloured eyes you could just drown in and a gorgeous love spot just below one of them and…

Jeanne's eyes widened, and she shook her currently insubstantial head. _Agh_, fils de pute! _A Mystic Face, a charm spell or a curse of some kind_, she snarled to herself. She wouldn't mind a pretty boy, but she wanted them to be edgy too, and spears aside, she didn't think this one had an edgy bone in his body. There was something vaguely chivalrous about his bearing that made her sneer, even as her eyes wandered to that face again.

So, she had seen Saber, Archer and Lancer, along with Assassin. That left Rider, Berserker and Caster. She trotted away on ghostly legs, only to encounter a pair of people. One, she recognised as the Japanese woman she had assaulted at the Von Einzbern Castle, the one with the cold eyes. The other was an older man, in his thirties or forties, with tired eyes. "…Makes a good vantage point," the woman, whom Irisviel had called Maiya, said, indicating a crane.

"As would anyone else with enough intelligence. Maiya, we'll find other vantage points." He indicated a nest of shipping containers for Maiya, while he intended to perch on the gantry of a different crane.

Jeanne raised an eyebrow as they separated. Was this Kiritsugu Emiya? She followed him in Astral form, as he climbed to a gantry, and set up a small arsenal of weapons, including a sniper rifle. Meanwhile, she saw Saber and Irisviel arrive, and after the former exchanged some words with Lancer, she changed her clothes in a flare of magic, her severe suit changing into something that looked vaguely like an armoured blue ballgown.

"…Let's see what you're made of, my adorable King of Knights," Kiritsugu muttered to himself sardonically.

King of Knights? Oh. _Ohhh_. Jeanne's face split into a vicious grin. There was only one Heroic Spirit who had such a moniker. King Arthur. Huh. King Arthur was a girl, who knew. Well, plenty of time for that later.

On the gantry, Kiritsugu was viewing the top of a warehouse through the scope of his rifle. "…Lancer's Master," he muttered, before a sardonic smirk lit up his features. But just as he made to shoot them, a clang came from the crane he had rejected earlier, and he whirled to look at it. Jeanne did herself, and noted the figure of Assassin, or at least a shape sharing the same skull-like mask, perched on it.

Kiritsugu scowled, and soon, Jeanne realised why. The Magus Killer intended to kill Lancer's Master with his rifle, but that would expose his position to Assassin, who might attack, and while a weak class in terms of strength, Assassins specialised in killing Masters. "Maiya, on the crane," he said quietly into a radio headpiece he was wearing. Then, after a while, he said, "Keep Assassin under surveillance. I'll be observing Lancer and his Master."

Jeanne decided to make herself known, Deastralizing. "A bit of a dilemma, _n'est-ce pas?_" she asked, and she had to admit, his reflexes were good, aiming his gun at her on instinct. But she gripped the barrel and tore it from his hands. "Don't point that thing at me. I'd prefer to wait until I've been on a couple of dates before I allow any guy to do that."

Emiya's eyes narrowed. "…You must be Avenger."

"Of course. Here's your toy back," she said, handing the rifle back. "And you are Kiritsugu Emiya, the Magus Killer, and King Arthur's Master. Just be careful what you mutter to yourself in future, you don't know who might be listening in." She then favoured him with a vicious grin to emphasize this.

"…You are letting me live?" Emiya asked.

"Well, for one thing, this little fracas is a perfect opportunity to get information," Jeanne said. "For another, I'm bored. Don't suppose you have popcorn with you or something? No? Hmm. So watching a clash between Servants ought to alleviate my boredom, and killing you will only cause Saber to disappear. And finally…well, I presume you got my message?"

"Maiya told me. So…are you Kariya Matou's Servant?"

"Nope," Jeanne said, perching herself on the railing. "My Master, who I won't be naming, ended up learning about Sakura's fate, and that of Kariya Matou. Now, at the moment, I'm not really sure what my wish on the Grail will be, and neither is my Master. But one thing we do want to do is rescue Sakura from her situation. So, Kiritsugu Emiya, even if you decide to be so heartless as to not help, let me give you some advice." She gripped his face, allowing just enough of the flames within to sting it. "Target my Master, especially before we rescue Sakura, and I will ensure that the last moments of my life will be spent ensuring that I cook you on a spit like a pig, except you'll be alive, and _squealing_ in pain as I fucking _charbroil_ you, _connard_." With that, she Astralized, though she lingered long enough to see Kiritsugu rubbing at the blisters on his face.

With that, she wandered down to the battlefield. She had to admit, both combatants were doing quite well. While she may hold chivalry in contempt, skill was another matter entirely. As she approached one of the shipping containers corralling the battlefield, she watched as Arthur (or Arturia? Food for thought) and the Lancer duke it out.

She just sat there on one of the shipping containers and watched, until finally, the Lancer used first one, and then both of his Noble Phantasms, the two spears. Saber got injured, but clearly, Lancer had intended to kill her. Saber identified Lancer as Diarmuid of the Love Spot, an Irish hero, while Lancer confirmed that Saber was indeed King Arthur.

Jeanne decided that now was the time to make an entrance, Astralizing with a big, Cheshire Cat grin. As they wheeled on her in shock, she waved. "Hi there. Nice fight you've been having. I told you I'd be watching, Saber. Or should that be Arthur? I have to admit, I didn't think King Arthur would be a woman. Though Arthur's a boy's name, isn't it?"

"…I was born Arturia," Saber admitted grudgingly. "But you dare interfere?"

"I'm spectating. I even left your actual Master alive and well…well, I scalded his face just a little," Jeanne said. "At most, he'd need an ointment or an icepack on his face."

"What manner of Servant are you?" Diarmuid demanded.

"Avenger," Jeanne said with a grin.

"That's impossible!" came a voice that seemed to come from all around them, a haughty sneer of a voice with a British accent. "There is no such Servant as an Avenger! You are spouting some sort of fiction, a falsehood."

"And yet, here I am. Is that you, Lancer's Master? You sound tense. _Lighten up_." With that, she tossed a fireball in the general direction of Lancer's Master, where Emiya had been aiming, at the roof of a warehouse. A yelp showed her she nearly hit him. "Oops," she said unrepentantly. "Call me, or my class, a fiction or a falsehood again, and _I won't fucking miss!_"

"You dare threaten my Master?" Diarmuid demanded.

"That was not a threat, Diarmuid of the Love Spot, but a promise," she said coldly. "I'm here to spectate, AND be the sole member of the peanut gallery. Some uppity _connard_ of a Magus has no right to judge me."

Before any further comment could be made, a bellow came from the skies, and in a flash of lightning, a chariot suddenly landed, an elaborate one apparently pulled by a pair of oxen. Driving that chariot was a most extraordinary figure, a big burly bear of a man with red hair and beard, tanned skin, and wearing a red mantle over armour. One other was in the chariot with him, a weedy-looking dark-haired boy in his teens.

"ALL PRESENT, SHEATHE YOUR WEAPONS, FOR YOU ARE IN THE PRESENCE OF A KING!" roared the red-haired giant, a Servant, and a Rider if she had to guess. "I AM ISKANDAR, THE KING OF CONQUERORS, AND THE RIDER SERVANT OF THIS GRAIL WAR."

Jeanne knew that her rather flat expression of bemusement was shared by Arturia, Diarmuid and Irisviel. The boy was just looking like he was on the verge of pissing himself. "_Qu'est-ce que c'est que cette merde?_" Jeanne muttered in shock. What sort of Servant would announce his own name? True, Iskandar, aka Alexander the Great, would be powerful due to his renown, but still…no wonder his Master was reacting with dismay. But she also felt a surge of righteous anger at him. A conquering king, like Henry V, not caring about what misery he left in his wake.

"Now, before we join in battle, I have a question for you all," Iskandar said. "I know not your desires for the Holy Grail, but would that be more than what I offer? I ask you, would you concede the Grail to me, and in return, join me as comrades in arms to bring the world under my banner?"

The sheer gall and audacity! Jeanne couldn't help but sneer. Diarmuid said with a glare, "While your brazen audacity is to be admired, I have sworn to deliver the Grail to my liege in this life, and to no other."

"And you interrupted our bout to spout such jests?" Arturia demanded. "Such effrontery is as aggravating as it is foolish."

"…And what of you?" Iskandar said, looking up at Jeanne. "What manner of Servant are you, and what do you have to say to my offer?"

"I am Avenger," Jeanne sneered, hopping off the container, and exchanging her casual clothes for her armour and her banner. "And this is what I have to say to your offer." With that, she spat on the ground near his chariot, imparting enough heat to it to make it sizzle and hiss as it hit the ground. "Alexander the Great, a greedy fool calling himself king who pillaged and raped his way through Asia Minor and Egypt…just like the king and his successor's cronies who pillaged and raped their way through my own country, causing untold pain and misery in their wake. I despise kings, but those who call themselves conquerors when in reality they are but thieves are amongst those I despise most. Join you in conquering the world? Ha! I could say I'd rather die, but I'd rather be sensible and say that you should die instead." She drew La Pucelle and aimed it at him to make her point clear.

"…I was willing to discuss remuneration?" Iskandar asked.

"ENOUGH!" Arturia and Diarmuid roared in chorus, with Jeanne adding, "FERME TA GUEULE!" to the mix.

Then, Arturia said, "I myself am King of the Britons. Do you think it good sport to reduce me to little more than your vassal?"

"King of the Britons?" Iskandar asked. "Well, it's rather surprising to see that the King of Knights is but a chit of a girl. And impressive."

Arturia readied what had to be Excalibur, though it was veiled by rippling air currents. "Do you dare test this chit of a girl's mettle?" she said, glaring.

Iskandar sighed. "…Negotiations have broken down, it seems."

The teenager next to him groaned in dismay, before they heard the arrogant sneer of a voice of what was Diarmuid's Master. "Oh dear, you took my destruction of your little dissertation overly personally, Waver Velvet. Then again, I'm surprised you had the fortitude to actually join the Holy Grail War."

Jeanne looked at Diarmuid. "Wow. Your Master is not only a _connard_ and a coward, but he is so much in love with the sound of his own voice."

"Speak not of my Master so!" Diarmuid snapped.

"I will speak of him however the fuck I want," Jeanne snapped back, before turning to the man, whom she could just see as a dark outline on the warehouse roof she had fired at earlier, and flipped him the bird. "If you want to make something of it, be my guest."

"Silence, Servant," sneered Lancer's Master. "My former student, instead of finding happiness in peace and banality, decided on this course. And so, I will be sure to teach him just how lethal Magi battles truly can be, and how much he will suffer. It is an honour."

Jeanne rolled her eyes, and summoned a burning spear that jabbed into the roof next to him. "Yeah, fuck you already."

Iskandar, however, had put a reassuring hand on the shoulder of the cowering Waver, and bellowed, "So, Lancer's Master…you claimed you intended to be my Master? What a jest!" He roared with laughter. "Frightened though he is, he has enough valour to ride alongside me rather than cower in the shadows like the craven cur you are! Lancer is far too good a Servant for the likes of you!"

"…Damn you, you upstart familiar," snarled Lancer's Master.

"Still…Saber, Lancer, your clash was magnificent," Iskandar said, grinning. "I'm sure Avenger and I were far from the only Heroic Spirits lured here by the sound of battle. So, I say to those who scurry about in the shadows furtively, you heroes who have any scrap of pride left, come forth now, or suffer the scorn of Iskandar, KING OF CONQUERORS!"

Jeanne facepalmed. "This is not going to end well…" she muttered.

And then, in a shower of golden particles, Tohsaka's Archer appeared, perched on a nearby lightpole. "Oh? And by what right does one of the two pretenders to kingship demand that I show myself?"

"Pretender?" Iskandar asked. "I am merely stating my title."

"Another king," Jeanne sneered, probably unwisely, but she was feeling obstreperous.

"Ho? A mad and rabid dog dares bark at me?"

"I recognise no king, or no god," Jeanne retorted. "Besides, I'm no mere dog. I'm the Queen Bitch of this Grail War."

"How bold you are, Avenger," Archer coldly responded. "Overly bold, I would wager. However, hush now, while I speak to those who falsely consider themselves worthy of the title of king, but overreach themselves."

Jeanne gaped as the gold-clad Archer dismissed her, and stared as he and Iskandar began to argue. She had been dismissed so damn easily, and by Tokiomi Tohsaka's Servant?! Fury surged within her, a raging inferno that needed a release _right now_. Just as he began to aim a couple of those portals with weapons in them at Iskandar and Arturia, she roared, "DO NOT TAKE ME LIGHTLY, YOU BASTAAAARRRRD!"

Flames burst into life around her, and she drew La Pucelle, and aimed it at him. "THIS IS THE HOWL OF A SOUL FILLED WITH HATRED! **_LE GRONDEMENT DE LA HAINE(_****_1)_****_!_**"

The flames burst forth, and she was gratified to see the eyes of Archer widen in shock, leaping off the lightpole as it was suddenly consumed in a blazing inferno. He landed, only to be forced to dodge the flames and the stakes bursting out of the ground, until her attack, for now, was spent. His initial astonishment, however, transmuted into fury. "…Insolent little slattern…I belong in the heavens, and yet you would have me stand upon the base ground?!"

"Kings burn just as well as any other man, gold melts just like any metal, and people burn in the flames of hatred just as well on the ground or in the sky," Jeanne sneered back. "You won't be on the ground very long, SAVE FOR AS ASHES BLOWING IN THE WIND!"

If she was thinking straight, she would have realised that Archer was a strong opponent, potentially too strong for her. But her fury and hatred at being slighted by this arrogant fool would not let her think straight. In truth, what she needed, very badly, was a distraction, even if she didn't realise it.

And then, she got one.

A burst of black mist shook her out of her rage, and surprised Archer, who turned to face the newcomer, as did they all. It seemed to be the figure of a knight in full plate armour, black as pitch, and wreathed in dark smoke that continuously writhed and purled around the knight as if it were a living thing. The visor of the helmet emitted a red, baleful glow. Jeanne, shocked out of her initial rage, knew what this interloper was.

It was Berserker.

**CHAPTER 9 ANNOTATIONS:**

**Well, that escalated quickly. Jalter's managed to piss off Gilgamesh. And Berserker's on the scene! Oh dear…**

**1\. While spelled in the game ****_La Grondement du Haine_****, this is apparently, according to the wikis, incorrect French grammar. Therefore, I've changed the name of her Noble Phantasm to the suggested grammatically-correct translation.**


	11. Chapter 10: Violence and Voyeurs

**CHAPTER 10:**

**VIOLENCE AND VOYEURS**

The darkest deeds are often done in the darkest of shadows. While something of a cliché, it has something of a substantial basis in reality, as darkness conceals quite readily what violence and horror is done by those inclined to it. So it was with the case with Ryuunosuke Uryu and his Caster Servant, Gilles de Rais.

At first glance, lurking in their sewer lair, surrounded by the mutilated bodies of children arranged in macabre parodies (to anyone else but the perpetrators) of artwork, they seem like an odd couple. Ryuunosuke is a handsome Japanese man, young, with vibrant red hair and a demeanour that normally would not lead people to suspect that he was a prolific serial killer. Gilles was tall, hunched over, with pale grey skin, a messy mane of dark hair, and protuberant eyes that gave him an eerie monstrous air.

And yet, the two hit it off almost immediately after Ryuunosuke summoned him. Ryuunosuke was more or less unaware of his family's heritage when it came to magecraft, only learning of it when he found a decrepit spellbook in his parents' house, and learned that his ancestors dabbled in summoning, not knowing that they had been involved in the First Grail War. He thought they were summoning demons, and decided to try summoning a demon out of simple macabre curiosity.

What he got was not a demon, but something better, if only for Ryuunosuke and not for his victims and society: a like-minded spirit. If Ryuunosuke knew of the term 'bromance', he'd knew it'd apply to his relationship with his Servant: like-minded individuals in a deep but platonic friendship of fraternal love. Gilles had reinvigorated his desire towards killing by demonstrating a simple truth: that fear and terror and despair were dynamic states of being, and that fear and despair was at their best when it came from hope being given, and then taken away. Such a simple truism, and yet, it had the impact of a theophany to Ryuunosuke.

He cared little about the Holy Grail, even after Gilles explained it to him. All he wanted was to find new and interesting ways of tormenting and killing people. Gilles could have it, for all he cared.

He had been watching the clash between the Servants with Gilles, and had to admit, they were pretty damned cool. True, not as viscerally violent as he wanted, but hey, it was pretty damn awesome! Gilles had explained that this wasn't special effects or anything lame like that. No, this was magecraft of the highest order. Still, he had to wonder why Gilles was so quiet. Had he seen shit like this before?

"…She's here. No…_they're_ here," Gilles whimpered, his eyes brimming with tears. "LOOK, RYUUNOSUKE, LOOK! MY MAIDEN HAS COME BACK TO ME! AND TWICE OVER!"

Now, Ryuunosuke could tell that the two women he was indicating, while similar, were pretty different. Leaving aside the differences in eye and hair colour, to say nothing of their outfits, their faces, while not dissimilar, were different. However, Ryuunosuke viewed Gilles as his first true friend, and decided to humour him. "Oh? Is that even possible?"

"IT MUST BE, RYUUNOSUKE! The Grail…it has chosen to grant my wish…I heard it in my dreams, whispering to me…it told me my wish would come true, and lo! It has!" He pointed to the one in armour and with the emerald eyes. "Jeanne, at her purest, the Maiden of Orleans at her highest and most regal level, before the cursed English captured her thanks to treachery!" He then pointed to the one with golden eyes and a cold sneer. "And Jeanne, what she should have been, an Avenger, taking vengeance on those who stabbed her in the back for their thirty pieces of silver! One who uses the flames of her wrath to smite all foes!"

Ryuunosuke took a step back as Gilles emitted what sounded like an orgasmic shiver. Yeah, he got the picture, and he was glad for his Caster comrade, but still…even for a vicious serial killer like Ryuunosuke, who thought nothing of using Gilles' magecraft to keep a kid alive while he turned them into a musical instrument via evisceration, this was Too Much Information(1). No, really. "So…what are you going to do about it?"

"…I shall wait, Ryuunosuke, until the battle is over, and I can approach my beloved Jeanne. This situation is too messy to intervene just yet. But…my Holy Virgin…no, my Holy _Virgins_…wait for me…"

* * *

Jeanne was staring at the dust cloud that Berserker was emerging from, wondering if she really saw what she just saw. Berserker had, thankfully, distracted Archer from attacking her, and the golden armoured dickhead fired Noble Phantasms at the knight after saying something about Berserker's gaze blighting him or some such megalomaniacal nonsense. Which should have ended in Berserker turning into a shattered can of Spam.

Instead, Berserker actually _grabbed_ one weapon out of mid-air, and used it to swat down the second one. Jeanne was staring flatly at what happened, and then turned to an equally astonished Arturia. "…Did you just see what I saw?"

The King of Knights nodded mutely. Archer, meanwhile, was getting angrier. "You dare put your filthy hands on my treasures? You must yearn for a slow, painful death, _you rabid __**cur!**_"

More weapons were fired at Berserker, but the dark knight kept catching some and using them to deflect others. Jeanne couldn't help but emit an impressed whistle at the mad knight's skill. "What's the matter, Archer? You can't keep up with a _real_ man?!" she taunted.

"Silence!" Archer roared back.

"_Va te faire foutre!_" Jeanne retorted. To the others, she said, "Get back if you value your lives. I don't think this polished gold turd will care about collateral damage."

"Why do you care?" Arturia demanded.

"My entertainment will be over all too soon if you die," Jeanne said, mostly truthfully. A little quieter, she added, "And I still want popcorn."

Archer seemed set to unleash more weapons at the dark knight, before he suddenly scowled. "Tokiomi…you dare to command me like some errant cur? Know then that I am far from pleased with your insolent temerity." He turned to the others. "Thin out your numbers ere we meet again, lest I express my displeasure more vehemently than before."

"_Salut, salaud_," Jeanne said, waving at him sardonically, even as he scowled and turned into a flurry of golden particles. But then, she noticed that the Berserker was glaring at her…no, not just at her. Its gaze was flicking between Arturia and herself, she was sure of it.

Then, with a warbling flanging roar, it convulsed and spasmed, tassels bursting out of its back, before it charged, grabbing the broken lamp-post, and rushing at Arturia, who blocked the blow. However, the pole, impossibly, impacted Excalibur instead of being sheared by the Noble Phantasm. It even seemed to be blackened, with red glowing veins running along its side. Distantly, she heard Iskandar observing that Berserker must have had the ability to turn anything he touches into his own Noble Phantasm.

However, she grinned. "Hey, Saber…you might want to move." Saber looked at her briefly as flames built up around Jeanne, and her eyes widened. She leapt away at the last moment.

"LE GRONDEMENT DE LA HAINE!" she roared, causing fires to burst up beneath Berserker, causing the dark-clad knight to roar in agony, before suddenly, metal stakes erupted from the ground, hoisting the knight into the air, impaled on them. "BURN, MOTHERFUCKER, BURN! KNOW MY PAIN, MY WRATH, MY HATRED!" she screamed in delight, even doing a little twirl as the knight roasted, cackling as she did so.

And then, just as sudden as the inferno began, it ended, the stakes dropping Berserker to the ground to flop rather pitifully with a clatter, smoke (and not just the inky black substance curling around its form) wafting from its armour. It disappeared in a puff of dark mist. Jeanne pumped her fist into the air. "Victory! Even if I didn't kill the _connard_, I just sent him running with his tail between his legs!"

"…What is wrong with you?" came the bemused voice of Lancer's Master.

"It's a long list," Jeanne retorted. "Comes with the territory when you went through what I did. But while I'm all for letting Lancer and Saber duke it out, I'm personally bored and tired, especially of hearing your voice. I can't decide between letting Saber and Lancer get it on, or setting your smug face on fire just to hear you squeal. And I bet I can do that before Danny Boy over there can even get near me. So…are you feeling lucky?"

After a moment, Lancer's Master said, "…Lancer, we shall withdraw for now. But know this, Waver, and Avenger, there will be a reckoning for your insolence."

"You were doing very well until you threatened someone who can turn you into a roast pig on a spit," Jeanne sneered, before looking at Diarmuid. "My advice? Ditch the little bitch and get yourself a better Master."

Diarmuid narrowed his eyes. "Regardless, he is my Master, my sworn liege. Control your tongue, or else I may not be able to control myself."

"Uhh, hello? I just set a knight in armour on fire and roasted him," Jeanne said. "Besides, honour means nothing when your liege lord won't return it." Her face fell. "I learned that lesson in life."

Diarmuid shot her a look filled with both anger, and yet pity, before he Astralized. Arturia came over to her. "Still…I thank you for assisting me with Berserker, Avenger. Even if you lack chivalry, you still have some honour."

"No, I don't. I just find you the least obnoxious king here, Arturia, despite being English," Jeanne said. "Just tell me…was sacrificing yourself for your people worth it? Because it wasn't, for me."

As she turned to leave, Arturia said, "Wait. I believe I know who you are, Avenger, even if it puzzles me that one with your reputation would become an Avenger. If you are who I think you are…then I am sorry to see you become like this, Joan of Arc."

Jeanne stiffened in surprise, but didn't turn to face her. Iskandar, however, mused, "Joan of Arc? The Maid of Orleans? A famous saint, and yet, you're so profane and violent? Why did you become like this?"

"Because I was betrayed, and burned," Jeanne said, turning her head slightly, favouring them with a glare from her golden eye. "All that was good about Jeanne d'Arc burned at the stake, and became ashes. I'm all that's left."

"No, that cannot be true," Arturia said, with quiet conviction. "If there was no good left in you, then why not kill Irisviel, or Iskandar's Master? Why save me from Berserker? Why speak of rescuing that girl?"

"Whims," Jeanne said, more to try and convince herself than anyone else. "Mere whims." And with that, she Astralized, leaving behind the battlefield, but not her troubles…

* * *

Kiritsugu Emiya was worried, to say the least. He kept it hidden under his usual composed mask, but he was worried. The first clash ended with no Servant or Master casualties (unless Avenger managed to kill Berserker, but he doubted that), and while Lancer had deduced Saber's identity, as had Rider, they had divulged their own identities. In addition, Saber had deduced Avenger's identity, and judging by the way Avenger reacted, Saber had hit the mark. It seemed that Saber had been of some use other than martial prowess after all.

Still, this Grail War had too many wild cards. There was Avenger, a twisted version of Jeanne d'Arc, who seemed to follow her own whims, and who seemed to have a deep hatred of kings. There was Rider, a loudmouthed brute who, supposedly, was in life a genius at warfare and conquest, and who tried to suborn the other Servants. Finally, there was Berserker, who was sent in to disrupt a standoff by a presumably irrational Master. He felt a small ember of gratitude to Avenger for stopping Berserker from killing Saber, but smothered it. It didn't do well to rely on the whims of the insane, after all.

So, why did she want to help her Master rescue Sakura Matou? Was it a whim, or was it some small ember of morality that still existed within her? Who knows? But he knew that she was a dangerous opponent in a conflict filled with so many…

* * *

Jeanne deliberately took a shortcut through a dark alley, hoping that she could find some idiots to mug. She realised that she hadn't heard from Harry in a while, and when she opened up the link, she heard gentle snoring. She sighed. Maybe he couldn't link his senses to her own, and decided to just get some needed rest. Just as well, her using her Noble Phantasm twice in quick succession probably caused a drain on his mana.

Suddenly, she saw a red-haired handsome young man step into view. Huh, the night was good. Maybe she was going to get some money from him. "Hey, little lady," he said with a lazy smile. "There's a friend of mine who really wants to meet you."

"Not interested." Oh God, a wannabe rapist? Fuck it, she'd burn him alive and worry about money later.

But then, the red-haired man stepped aside, and out of the shadows melted a grotesque figure, hunched over, in purple and red robes, and with bulging eyes in a face that looked maddeningly familiar, though she couldn't place it at first. However, she did know that this was a Servant, and by process of elimination, it was Caster. And a rather fugly-looking one at that.

And then, Caster spoke, in a voice that, while more lilting with madness than she remembered, was so distinctive, she couldn't help but recognise it. And it sent a massive shock to her system. Of all the people to become a Caster, it had to be **_him_**.

Gilles de Rais said, "At last, I have found you, Jeanne. My most ardent wish has come true…"

**CHAPTER 10 ANNOTATIONS:**

**Oh dear. Has Jalter been trapped by Gilles?**

**A little tip for anyone who wants help on translating Jalter's exclamations: instead of using Google Translate, I used Wiktionary. Also, keep in mind that most of it is pretty strong profanity, so, if you do look it up on Wiktionary, don't be offended by what it translates to. However, Jalter using ****_connard_**** was a specific suggestion of Arawn D Draven's.**

**Review-answering time! ****Stilphyell****: As another reviewer pointed out, Lancelot was actually French. Jalter would probably still set fire to him on principle.**

**AznPuffyHair****: I'm pretty sure Lancelot actually does this in ****_Fate/Grand Order_****, attacking Jeanne in the Orleans singularity because, in his madness, he mistakes her for Arturia, and indeed any Saberfaces. That was reflected here in this very chapter, because for a brief moment, he didn't know which 'Saberface' to target, before plumping for the one that looked most like Arturia.**

**fg7dragon****: Actually, Jeanne wasn't illiterate, or rather, she knew correct grammar. If I recall correctly, much of her correspondence IRL was quite eloquent, though it could be that someone edited her correspondence to tidy it up. However, the Nasuverse Jeanne (and thus Jalter) does have trouble with basic maths.**

**Guest**** (regarding Arthur's life and times): True, and where it applies to our world, I'd accept your point, but at least one document, the ****_Annales Cambriae_****, lists Arthur's death at Camlann as taking place in 537 AD. The 3****rd**** Century Lucius Artorius Castus is still debated as to whether he was actually Arthur. Keep in mind, the Arthurian mythos evolved and changed over time, like many myths and legends, and became a self-contradicting mess.**

**1\. No, really. This actually happens in the manga. Be grateful the anime doesn't show this, and avoid the manga.**


	12. Chapter 11: Disquiet and Dissection

**CHAPTER 11:**

**DISQUIET AND DISSECTION**

Jeanne calmed herself with an effort, even as the information from the Grail flooded into her head. Gilles had really gone downhill since she died, apparently being found guilty of killing children and trying to summon demons. Considering what they did to her reputation, she was taking this with the proverbial pinch of salt, though the sinister robes and the fish eyes weren't helping.

"Gilles…what the actual hell happened to you?" she asked, a little warily.

"Ah, alas, my Holy Virgin, this is but what happened to me after you were burned alive," Gilles said sadly, looking down at himself. "I fell into deepest despair when the people of France turned their backs on you, spurred by the Burgundians and their allies. I tried my utmost to keep your legend alive, but to little avail. Spendthrift, they called me…and then worse. Still…all that is in the past, and what matters is the here and now, far beyond our time! Jeanne…it heartens me so dearly to know that not only has your pure self been summoned, but also a version of yourself, filled with wrath and hatred! Thus, there is no need for me to fight for the Grail, for it has already granted me my most ardent wish!"

Wait, wait, what? Did Gilles say it had summoned another version of herself? "Uhh, Gilles, there's only one version of me here."

"What folly do you speak of, Jeanne? You were with your saintly self, the one who has manifested as a Saber!" Gilles protested.

…Did he seriously mistake Arturia for her? Jeanne didn't know whether to be annoyed or flattered. "…That's not me, Gilles. You need your eyes examined…though that's pretty obvious," she said, noting their bulge.

"Fie, speak not such drivel, Jeanne!" Gilles retorted. "In any case, I digress from my point. I desire you to…no, I beseech you to you join me, and lead us to glory once more!"

Jeanne stared at him flatly. He was out of his mind, he was, and while Jeanne would be the first to admit she was more than a little insane, her former comrade had taken his insanity to even greater heights. His Master, if that was who the redhead really was, seemed to realise her discomfort, and said, "Hey, big guy, you might want to back off a little. Girls get uncomfortable when you pressure them too much, you know?"

"…Ah, of course, Ryuunosuke. True, I do not desire Jeanne in any carnal or romantic manner, but I do see that she is troubled. I will take my leave for now, my dearest Jeanne. However, would you be open to fighting by my side once more?"

"I will be willing to consider it, yes," Jeanne said, more than a little uncertainly.

"Excellent," Gilles said, and with a gesture, conjured up a rolled-up paper, which he handed to her reverently. "Here. 'Tis the location of our Workshop and gallery, dearest Jeanne. But bring not any Philistines who cannot appreciate true art, even if that means not bringing your Master. Are you…happy with them?"

"…Happier than I thought I would be. Even if he's English."

"Ah, I see. I hope he has not ensnared you with his wiles, or I may have to take…**measures**. _Au revoir_, Jeanne," Gilles said, before he and his Master left.

"Gilles," Jeanne heard a familiar voice say, that of the saint. "What in God's name happened to you?"

"Isn't it obvious?" sneered the voice of the burned cadaver. "_You_ happened to him. You died, and he fell into madness without you to prop him up! Or maybe it was all those times you poked him in the eyes? Maybe that's why they're so big and swollen. So much for the saint."

"Shut up," Jeanne snarled at the two voices. "I was having such a good night until you came along."

"What, Gilles and his catamite, or the saint and I?" sneered the burnt cadaver.

"_Yes_. Now fuck off."

"As you wish. But remember, you are me. You will succumb to your true nature. One way or another, this side of madness, or the other(1)…" And with that, the burned smell dissipated.

"…I am still part of you. Remember that always. Even if you cannot believe in God, believe that there is good in people, even you." And then, the saint was gone.

"…Had to have the last word, damn you," Jeanne said bitterly, as she moved off, heading back to the hotel. "Can't even get the last word against my own selves…"

* * *

Soon after she got back, she noticed him, curled up on the bed, half-naked, save for some boxers. How weak and pathetic she seemed in comparison to him…and yet…she knew that she would not kill him, not unless he gave her reason to. It would be so easy to do so, insultingly so.

Instead, on an impulse, she divested herself of all but her underwear, and then gently manoeuvred herself into the bed, spooning him from behind, taking care not to wake him. He shifted a bit, but didn't wake. She didn't know quite why she did this. It wasn't wholly an impish impulse, a desire to get a rise out of him, that had her do this, though that was indeed a large part of it. Then again, maybe it was that hatred kept her warm…but maybe she could keep him warm. Or maybe it was the fact that seeing Gilles in such a state that mirrored her own, when he had once been so virtuous and patriotic, had shaken her almost as much as her own issues had.

Gilles had been one of her closest allies and confidants. And yet, the Grail told her, he had fallen into depravity, murdering children, something she could never condone. For all her violence and fury, she had been innocent when the English and their cronies burned her alive. Killing the innocent was not in her nature. Of course, that was what he was accused of, and she had little faith that there was anything like justice in France at the time, so it could have been lies. And yet…there he was, radiating an aura that made even her want to retch.

And then, it struck her. She knew something had shaped her out of Jeanne d'Arc, that she was a patchwork fiction. Gilles' words suggested that he had hoped for this, expected this. Was he the responsible party? Or was something else taking advantage of his desires?

Had anyone been watching her, they would have seen the golden eyes of Jeanne glisten suspiciously with tears, not of sorrow, but of anxiety and anguish, her eyes glimmering with existential horror. Was one of her greatest former allies the one responsible for creating her, directly or not? And even if not…why did she have this feeling of unease around him? Subconsciously, she gripped Harry a little harder. If anyone pointed out the similarities of a child embracing a teddy bear or a similar stuffed toy for comfort, she would have burned them alive for their insolence, though they would have been more accurate than they thought…

* * *

Harry woke up the next morning rather comfortably warm…though once he became aware of the warmth of a distinctly feminine body pressed to his back and arms wrapped around him, he stiffened. Thankfully, the breasts he could feel pressing into his back were covered in fabric, but still… "Jeanne…are you awake?"

"Of course I'm awake," Jeanne said quietly. "Servants don't need sleep."

"…Then why are you in bed with me?"

"Because I…" she began in a sharp tone of voice, before she stopped herself. Her arms relaxed. "…Because I needed to hold you."

"…Did something bad happen last night? Did you get hurt in any battles? Sorry, I was pretty tired, and when I couldn't link my senses to yours, I gave it up as a bad job and decided to catch up on my sleep."

"I didn't get hurt in the battle last night. If anything, I learned quite a bit about all the other Servants. All of them, save for Caster, were at the battle last night. We'll talk about it over breakfast. This hotel should have some room service…"

* * *

Harry looked at the news as he ate breakfast, something about a hotel being destroyed in a terrorist bombing. They had just had news of a serial killer just before that. "Huh. I drank at that hotel last night while you were gone."

"Really? You didn't get picked up by some hussy?" Jeanne asked, still dressed in little more than her underwear. He was certain she did it to get a rise out of him, though she looked drop dead sexy in her state of _deshabille_.

"No. Spoke to some English woman called Sola-Ui. Went on a tirade against her fiancée. Anyway, the Servants?"

"Right…well, Saber is definitely the Servant of Kiritsugu Emiya," Jeanne said. "What's more, she is definitely King Arthur, only, Arthur was actually a girl."

"…You're kidding me, right?"

"Nope. While I doubt a chivalrous knight will get along well with an assassin, they're still probably our most dangerous opponents together. A Servant as famous as King Arthur will be ridiculously powerful, and given what you heard of Kiritsugu Emiya, he's not one to be dismissed. The others are not exactly slouches. Lancer is Diarmuid of the Love Spot."

"…Who?"

"An Irish hero noted for having a cursed face that made women swoon over him. His king's wife even forced him to run away with him," Jeanne said. "He's a good warrior, but his Master sounds like an arrogant bastard. Rider waltzed up and announced himself as Iskandar, King of Conquerors. That's Alexander the Great to you. He seems formidable, even if he's a buffoon, but his Master is a weak little brat. Feel kind of sorry for him, actually. Lancer's Master seemed to be his former teacher, and has a grudge against him. I saw that Archer again, and then there's Berserker. Geez, that thing was scary. A literal dark knight who can turn anything he touches into a Noble Phantasm, and I couldn't tell a damn thing about him. Seemed to have something against me and Saber. Unfortunately, Saber guessed my identity, in front of Rider and a watching Assassin."

"…Is that a bad thing?"

"…For most Servants, yes, as it means that their Noble Phantasms, strengths and weaknesses can be deduced by anyone with enough knowledge. However…my unique circumstances still give me an advantage." Her face fell upon mentioning this.

"What do you mean?"

"You know what I mean." Her golden eyes met his own, and she admitted, morosely, "…I think I'm a fictitious version of Jeanne d'Arc, Harry, like you guessed. And not just a fictionalised version of her myth. Many Heroic Spirits have aspects that are more fictional or more real, so to speak. I…I was _created_, I am sure of it. A poor copy, an evil knockoff. I'm…coping, but not as much as I should."

"…Is that why you were screaming the other night?"

"Sort of. But my point is, the fact that I'm not the real Jeanne d'Arc means that it's harder for our foes to get a bead on my strengths and weaknesses," she said.

"…And anything about Caster?"

"…I ran into him last night," she confessed. "I don't want to talk about it."

He frowned. "What do you mean, you don't want to talk about it?"

She shivered. "Please…I…I really don't want to talk about Caster. Why do you think I needed to use you as a teddy bear? That's how bad it was."

He searched her face, and saw nothing but sheer turmoil and distress. Compared to her belligerence on the subject of her existence, he actually felt that this was an issue he didn't want to push her further on, at least not until she was ready. "Jeanne…if Caster is a danger to me, to us…"

"…I'll deal with him myself, Harry," Jeanne said grimly. "Make no mistake, I don't think he's of any help to our saving Sakura. In fact, that's what I should do today. Look for her, and prepare to get her away from the Matous. It'll help take my mind off this."

"Right. I might go and see the sights. Maybe there's something worth seeing…"

* * *

Harry was looking for the next hotel they were going to stay at. They had enough cash reserves to stay at one of the decent hotels, though given the explosion at the Hyatt (he idly wondered whether Sola-Ui was all right, and whether it had anything to do with the Grail War), he might have to be careful. He was considering one such place from just outside it when he felt a hand come down on his shoulder. He tensed, ready to flee, before he heard a sudden, harsh whisper in his ear. The whisper spoke ten words. Ten words he never expected to hear in this world, and yet, it was a sign, a good sign. He hoped.

"I solemnly swear I am up to no good, Harry."

He turned to face a familiar face, grey eyes, dark hair, and a rough beard, once neat. The man looked almost like he did when he escaped Azkaban. And yet, there was nothing but sheer relief in the man's features, relief that Harry knew was mirrored in his own, even as a weedy young man walked up alongside him, accompanied by a big burly bear of a man with red hair. "Sirius? What the hell are you doing here?"

"I can ask you the same question, Harry," Sirius Black said. "I've been taking these two out and about. I never thought I'd get to see you again." And with that, his godfather embraced him, weeping, and Harry returned it. Maybe all was not right with the world, but now, Harry felt that something was going right with it…

**CHAPTER 11 ANNOTATIONS:**

**Well…Padfoot has made his triumphant return, while Jalter is shaken by her former comrade's new nature, with Crispy-Jalter and the Saint not helping matters. Keep in mind, this isn't the same Jalter from ****_Fate/Grand Order_****. She doesn't know about Gilles being like this until now, and that's why she's being recalcitrant.**

**Sorry about the wait. I had six more chapters of this story written by the time the previous one was posted, but a certain review hurt me rather badly. Said reviewer is a prime example of opinionated readers who believe that, despite being writers, they can attack me and my means of writing, which, while not quite at literary levels, I feel is pretty entertaining. I write for entertainment and enjoyment first and foremost, and if the readership is not entertained or enjoying it, then I'd prefer it that they at least leave without comment.**

**I have made it clear on my profile that if you don't like my stories, then don't read and don't leave a review. In addition, how I write my stories and my commitment to such is nobody's business but my own (and I am certainly far better than NeonZangetsu, who, despite the entertaining nature of his works, has an even worse tendency than I to leave works fallow, to say nothing of sakurademonalchemist, another writer whose works I thoroughly enjoy, and who also gets criticisms not only for commitment, but also how she portrays her protagonists). Indeed, I actually finished one story earlier this year that I had almost left on hiatus forever (****_Harry Potter and the Blue-Haired Angel_****), and have added new chapters to other old stories (including ****_Haemophilia_****). **

**And I try to vary in characterisation, story premise, and the like, so that there is something for most people to enjoy. If you don't like this, then leave without comment. If I wanted constructive criticism, which this review most certainly was not, I would prefer it from fellow writers (and even then, it is disheartening). Criticism, especially ****_unwarranted and unfair_**** criticism, is a storykiller, and I despise people who try to kill stories.**

**To those who have supported this story, thank you, and rest assured, while I'm not sure when I am going to continue the story beyond the first 16 chapters, they should ensure a substantial and, I hope, entertaining and enjoyable story.**

**Review-answering time! ****Asherit****: After doing some looking around on Wiktionary for a translation, I think I'll pass on your suggestion, as well-meant as it is. I can understand why some people look askance at you when you use that profanity.**

**Reishin Amara****: That's…a scarily good point, really. Avenger Gilles…yeah, that IS scary.**

**Guest****: Thank you for your support. And your rebuttals are pretty much what I had in mind. Harry's stay in Azkaban was worse than Sirius' because he was affected worse by the Dementors. Plus, I over-rate my work to be on the safe side, partly because I want to be freer with the profanity (I tend to write a LOT of profanity in my fics these days, and before anyone says that's a sign of immaturity, an episode of ****_QI_**** cited a study that showed that it is people with higher IQs who use more profanity due to bigger vocabularies. Go figure) but also because, if I do describe sexual situations (I cannot write a lemon to save my life, so I steer clear of those where possible anyway), I'm safe. Classifying something according to such ratings is harder than it seems, really.**

**Za Warudo****: Sadly, you have a point. However, keep in mind that Harry is actually outmatched by both the Servants and many of the magic users in this. His main impetus in the Holy Grail War is to save Sakura and keep her safe. There is a greater emphasis on Jalter simply because she needs more character development in the first place, and Harry's presence acts as a catalyst for that development. In future chapters, particularly after this initial run, I will work to address that. Thank you.**

**Jack54311****: I actually do prefer ****_Fate/Zero_****, or at least the anime version, to ****_Fate/Stay Night_**** in general, though ****_Unlimited Blade Works_**** is pretty much on a par with ****_Fate/Zero_****. I think that, out of the cast, the actual ****_protagonists_**** are Arturia, Waver and Kirei. Yes, you saw that right, I did deliberately exclude Kiritsugu Emiya there. Kiritsugu doesn't go through any real character development in the story, basically being there to be Arturia's leash (and frankly, I think he's pretty much a villain with a few good points at the beginning of the series: his only good points being his relationship with Iri and Illya). Arturia does learn of many of her follies of her rule, though I think the characters who broke her (particularly Iskandar: for such a charismatic man, he could have found a gentler way to tell her she needed to get her act together) go too far. Waver learns how not to be a little brat. And Kirei goes on a voyage of self-discovery that, while it turns him into a villain, is quite intriguing, and you feel that it could have gone another way, with Kirei becoming a sociopathic hero of sorts rather than the Man Who Sold the World (to Angra Mainyu).**

**AZ23AJ****: While that'd be a brilliant story, just keep in mind that NeonZangetsu has already pretty much beaten you there (of course) with ****_A Most Unlikely Exile_****, which was the partial impetus for me to get this story off the ground. So make sure your story is sufficiently different from his own. Also, Nero and Oda Nobunaga called. They want their verbal tics back. :P**

**1\. Crispy-Jalter is paraphrasing Dukkha's ominous line to Tegan in the ****_Doctor Who_**** story ****_Kinda_****.**


	13. Chapter 12: Reunion

**CHAPTER 12:**

**REUNION**

The quartet convened in a park. Harry could scarcely believe that Sirius was still alive, and in this world. True, he had hoped for that, but it was more out of dogged habit than anything else. Jeanne had agreed to come when Harry asked over their link, if only because Harry was alone in the presence of another Servant. She would be a little while coming, though.

Harry felt…well, he wasn't sure what he felt. As much as he wanted to feel elation, he felt numb, as if expecting the world to snatch Sirius away. And Sirius might not understand everything about Jeanne.

"...So, that's what happened," Sirius said after Harry relayed his story, at least up until he ended up in this world. "Damned Snivellous…had to have the last word, that greasy-haired…never mind about him. I'd ask what the hell happened to you, Harry, but that sounds like a stupid question."

"And it's a long story too," Harry said. "What about you?"

"Not much to tell," Sirius said with a shrug. "I was found as a dog by the Mackenzies, a Canadian couple who retired to Japan. They later became aware of me and magic, even if magic's different here, as I learned when Waver here came along. I only made myself known to him after he summoned this guy, who is…"

"Alexander the Great," Harry said.

"Oh? And how do you know that, lad?" Iskandar asked. Harry winced at the slip-up.

"Because I told him," came the familiar sardonic tones of Jeanne, who Deastralized. Thankfully, nobody else was around to see her do so.

"Avenger?!" Waver yelped.

"Oh? So this boy is your Master, Avenger?" Iskandar asked.

Sirius did a double-take. "Wait, what? Harry…how in the hell could you summon an Avenger Servant? Why would you summon this…crazy bint? She's basically a slightly-more sane Bella, from what these two told me!"

Harry fixed Sirius with a glare. Sirius' outraged tone didn't bode well, and he was 110% done with dealing with any shit, godfather or not. After everything he went through, he had hoped Sirius would understand. "…Wouldn't you summon an Avenger to deal with Pettigrew after all that time you spent in Azkaban? Anyway, she's not quite that crazy. All she's really done is mug people."

"Unless you count what I did to Berserker," Jeanne said, "but I think the rabid dog deserved it. Anyway, we have a purpose in the Holy Grail War beyond seizing the Grail, and I'm all for it."

"Harry, you don't know what you're getting into," Sirius said. "This girl is batshit crazy, and whatever you intend to do, it…"

"How about saving a girl from an abusive household?" Harry said icily, his anger breaking through in his tone. This stopped Sirius cold, before Harry looked at Waver. "Hey, Waver…do you know anything about Crest Worms?"

"…What, those disgusting things?" Waver said, wrinkling his nose with disgust. "I only know about them because I stumbled across a reference to them while researching familiars, but…" His eyes suddenly widened in horrified realisation. "Oh God. How…how young is she?"

"…Six. And she's had them in her for a year," Harry said. "And it gets worse."

"…How can such an abominable thing be any worse?" Iskandar asked, looking offended. "I heard tales of such things from my tutors when a child."

"…How bad are we talking?" Sirius asked, turning to Waver.

"In men, Crest Worms feed off flesh, particularly nerve-endings and bone marrow, in exchange for becoming magic circuits," Waver said, looking ill. "But in women…and in girls…they feed off uterinal linings. In effect, they rape them."

"And her biological father knowingly adopted her out to a family that uses them, knowing she would be subjected to that," Harry said.

Sirius stared at him. "…This isn't a prank, is it? You've really teamed up with Jeanne d'Arc's evil twin to save this girl?"

Harry unwrapped the bandages around his arm, revealing the burn scars. "Tokiomi Tohsaka, the Master of that arrogant bastard of an Archer, did this to me when I confronted him. He erased his wife and daughter's memories of his confession. Jeanne was my first real ally in this world. Don't expect me to forsake her because of her quirks. Besides, she's not going to burn Waver if she can help it, are you, Jeanne?"

"Only if he pisses me off. This meathead Rider is more likely to do that," Jeanne scoffed. "Though I'm even more likely to charbroil that _connard_ of a teacher of yours. The one who was Lancer's Master. Though what was his beef with you?"

"…Oh, right," Waver said, looking ashamed as he owned up to what happened. "I was a student at Clock Tower. That's the headquarters and academy for the Magus Association in London. I wrote a dissertation on how hard work and study could overcome the power of lineage. Sirius told me your world's magic is not like our own. The longer established a magical line here, the greater our connection to magic, and thus the better our magecraft. But it also causes a lot of snobbery."

"It's like the Purebloods back home," Sirius said. "Only with a bit more justification. Anyway, Waver argued that with hard work, you can make up for that. That tosser, Lord El-Melloi, real name Kayneth Archibald, tore up his manuscript and tore down his ideals. Waver nicked the catalyst Lord Yellow-Mellow intended to use to summon Iskandar and came over here to participate in the Holy Grail War, only to find himself way out of his depth."

"He's small-minded and petty in his ambitions," Iskandar said. "However, his valour in riding by my side, even if on sufferance, shows his true mettle. As does your desire to help this child. You share his desire, Jeanne d'Arc?"

Jeanne scoffed. "The English burned me alive when I was innocent of the crimes they accused me of. While I will burn and destroy, leaving a child in such a situation any longer than necessary is something even I would not countenance. The only reason why we haven't gone in already is because we need to consider where to take Sakura to to keep her away from Zouken Matou and Tokiomi Tohsaka. I'm wrathful and violent, but not stupid. Plus, the Archer is Tohsaka's Servant."

"…And the Berserker may be the Servant of whoever the Matou's Master is," Waver said. "Well, think about it. Assassin belonged to Kirei Kotomine. Saber was with that albino woman, probably a von Einzbern Homunculus. Lancer was with my teacher. Aside from Caster, Berserker is the only one whose Master is unaccounted for."

"He must be," Jeanne said. "…I encountered Caster and his Master briefly last night. And that means it must be Kariya Matou who holds Berserker's leash."

"He's in the Grail War to save Sakura," Harry said. "Like me, he's also got a grudge against Tokiomi Tohsaka. Though after the roasting Jeanne gave him, I dunno whether he'd be open to an alliance."

Sirius frowned. Thankfully, he seemed to set aside his arguments for now. "…Hmm, the main problem is ensuring that Sakura is safe afterwards. I think I have a solution to that. Did you tell any of the other Masters?"

Jeanne shrugged. "Saber wants to help, but her Master seems to be dragging the chain. Assassin's Master has to fake an alliance with Tohsaka, but his father, the Overseer, can't take any substantial action. Incidentally, Assassin is still alive, and acting as scouts, so…I guess you should be careful. He had some sort of Noble Phantasm allowing him to cheat death."

"Why didn't you bring that up last night?" Waver demanded.

"Because it might have led Tohsaka to asking questions about how I knew," Jeanne pointed out. "Now, I utterly despise your Servant, as he stinks too much of Henry V for my liking, but you're a wimpy little brat who's way out of your depth, and you need all the help you can get, especially if your former teacher is gunning for you. Seriously, what sort of name is Lord El-Melloi?"

"His fiancée is even worse," Waver muttered. "I don't know why the Sophia-Ri family have such weird names, but Sola-Ui…well, she was nice enough, the one time I met her, but…"

"Wait, did you say Sola-Ui?" Harry asked. When Waver nodded, he chuckled. "…I had a drink with the fiancée of Lancer's Master and didn't realise it. Apparently she hates his guts." Then, he frowned. "Hey…the hotel they were in got blown up. Could that have been something from the Holy Grail War?"

"…If it was, then it was probably because of Kiritsugu Emiya," Waver said, shuddering. "I heard rumours that he had been hired by the von Einzberns. I thought they were false when I saw that Homunculus with Saber."

"…Homunculus?" Harry asked.

"The von Einzberns are known for creating top-notch Homunculi, artificial humans with magical abilities," Waver explained. "They always have silvery white hair and crimson eyes."

"Emiya's definitely with them," Jeanne said. "He was watching the docks from a sniper's perch. So, you think he blew up that hotel?"

"The Magus Killer is infamous for using mundane methods against Magi, and to great effect," Waver said. "I read once that he shot down an airplane to destroy some Dead Apostle and his victims using a rocket launcher."

"…Dead Apostle?" Sirius asked.

"Vampires," Iskandar explained. "Or rather, one of two types. Still…to destroy a hotel in order to deal with his targets, the man may not be honourable, but he certainly is pragmatic, especially if Lord El-Melloi turned part of the hotel into his Workshop and territory."

Harry opened his mouth to make a remark, only for the mobile Kirei gave him to trill. Answering it, he said, "Hello?"

"_Good morning, Harry. This is Risei Kotomine. You'll forgive me for contacting you so suddenly, but I have something of considerable import to tell you. Are there any other Masters or Servants with you?_"

"…The Master of Rider, and Rider himself. Why?"

"_Good. Please tell them what I am about to tell you. You are aware of Assassin's survival. We have been using them as scouts, nominally to assist Tokiomi Tohsaka. However, we have discovered something disturbing. Are you aware of the serial killings that have been happening in Fuyuki lately?_"

Harry frowned, thinking to the TV he was watching this morning. "I saw something about that. Why?"

"_Caster's Master is that serial killer. And upon summoning Caster, he has stepped up his game. A number of children have been abducted in and around Fuyuki, with no regard to maintaining the secrecy of the Holy Grail War. Therefore, we have called on a ceasefire between all parties for now, until Caster and his Master are killed. Upon receiving proof of his demise, the successful Master or Masters will receive from me additional Command Seals, left over from the previous Grail Wars. Unfortunately, Assassin cannot do much, due to their relative weakness in the territory established by a Caster. Do you have any questions or information?_"

"…Yeah. Avenger said she encountered Caster and his Master last night," Harry said. "The experience left her shaken, and she wouldn't tell me why. Did Assassin find out the identity of either Caster or his Master?"

"_His Master was called Ryuunosuke by Caster, who was called 'Bluebeard' in his turn_," Risei said. "_Some claim that the original source of the Bluebeard story was…oh. Oh dear. Some claim that Bluebeard was based on a man called Gilles de Rais, a man who once fought alongside Jeanne d'Arc, but was convicted of serial murder, particularly of children. It was long after she died, and he presumably spiralled into madness after her death. No wonder your Avenger was affected, as Assassin relayed to us that she is Jeanne d'Arc._"

Harry looked over at Jeanne. While he was still a bit angry that she had kept this from him, he also realised why. If Caster really was her comrade in life, but one who spiralled into depravity after her execution…no wonder she was affected. "Right. Well, that means that Avenger has a stake in this. Kotomine, I'm doing this to put an end to the serial killings. I don't care about extra Command Seals or anything. Not unless Avenger refuses to fight Caster and I have to use them."

As Jeanne flinched, clearly having discerned that he knew about Caster's relationship with her, Risei said, "_I understand. I will find some other way to reward you. If I could, I would give material help in extracting Sakura, even without this, but my position makes that unlikely._"

"…What about having Assassin scout Sakura and her whereabouts? And relaying them to me on a regular basis? Would that be enough?"

"…_Yes, actually. I will notify Kirei. That won't be your reward, mind. Helping you rescue Sakura, at least covertly, is the least I can do. I really should have thought of that sooner. In any case, contact me if you manage to deal with Caster. I wish you the best of success in your endeavours, Mr Potter. You and your Servant. In truth, I believe her not to be a mad dog as some would believe her to be, but an injured soul in need of succour. I hope she can find it in herself to be able to fight her old comrade._"

"I hope so too," Harry said. But looking at Jeanne, he had to wonder, did she?

**CHAPTER 12 ANNOTATIONS:**

**Harry has reunited with Padfoot. But what's this? Harry has learned Caster's true identity? Oh dear…**

**No numbered annotations this time.**


	14. Chapter 13: Burning Bridges

**CHAPTER 13:**

**BURNING BRIDGES**

Kirei Kotomine was dealing with an unexpected and probably unwelcome guest. Ever since his summoning, Gilgamesh had taken to showing up at the church on whims, often plundering the wine cellar present. Which was where he was now, sitting in Kirei's office, sipping from a glass of wine. After some rather uncomfortable subjects, their conversation had turned to that of Harry and Jeanne d'Arc. "Hmm, so the snake Magus is the Master of that foul-mouthed slattern of an Avenger? How interesting and aggravating. And to think Avenger was once the Maid of Orleans. That does give some context to her insolence, even if it's still unforgivable. Still, she was the one who sent that rabid cur who kept sullying my treasures with his hands packing with his tail between his legs. Ha! I do wish I remained long enough to have seen that."

"Berserker is not dead, unfortunately," Kirei said. "The Spirit Board indicates that he is still alive…assuming that it is not a woman like King Arthur underneath that armour."

"A possibility, but…I personally feel that Berserker was a man, or at least male. He is still little more than a rabid mongrel, foaming at the mouth," Gilgamesh said. "Avenger is little better, but at least her power is not related to theft. Still…I will tolerate them. Tokiomi doing what he did to his younger daughter has offended me greatly, and while I will defend him from any direct attacks on his person, I would love to see the anguish and misery he feels as his plans fall apart around him. He discarded a girl with such great potential to such misery. I am admittedly a cruel man, but to do such a thing and claim it to be a kindness…" Gilgamesh gritted his teeth. "For a man so proud of his intelligence and learning, he did not look hard and long enough for a kinder solution for her. And should he send me after this snake and his Avenger…well, he'll have to squander another Command Seal to even get me to dignify that with a response."

"He is your Master."

"Which is the main reason why I have not sullied one of my treasures with his blood," Gilgamesh said. "Plus, he at least gives a show of respect, even if it's more shadow than substance. But watching his anguish and despair as his plans collapse…well, I certainly find that one of the highest forms of joy comes from being the bane of another's desire." He chuckled malevolently. "That is also why I have given Avenger and her Master a stay of execution. They can't provide me with much entertainment if they are dead, after all…"

* * *

"…Is that why you didn't tell me?" Harry asked Jeanne. "That Caster was your old comrade?"

"It's more than that," Jeanne confessed. "It's more that…I had hoped that he hadn't actually fallen so far as history claimed he did, even as I knew, in some part of my heart, that he had. You didn't see him last night, Harry. It's like looking at myself in the mirror. I have Jeanne d'Arc's memories, but I have a different face. Only slightly different, but still…you're angry at me, aren't you?"

"More annoyed and disappointed," Harry said with a sigh of irritation. He couldn't even muster up much anger at her. "I can understand that you were upset. But…are you considering an alliance with him?"

"…He didn't seem like the type to consider it, despite what he said, not to save Sakura. I just hoped that what the Grail told me about him was just more lies. I was condemned to death on spurious charges, it was possible Gilles was," Jeanne said. "Harry…I need to be sure. If he really has fallen from grace…then I need to deal with him myself. I am a monster…but if he is killing children with his Master…then I need to put paid to him."

"Why?" Sirius asked. "Why do you care?"

"…Maybe it's because my Master cares," Jeanne said.

"And yet, you're choosing someone you knew for years over someone you knew for only a few days," Sirius said. "You'll forgive me if I'm more than a little sceptical. Harry, she could be leading you into a trap. Here." He took a coin out of his pocket, murmured something, and then handed it over to him. "A Portkey. Say 'Mischief Managed' when you need to escape."

"…He has a point," Harry said, taking the coin. "Why should I trust you to choose me over someone you've known and fought alongside?"

"…I'm not sure I can give you any real reason," Jeanne admitted reluctantly. "A general Command Seal ordering me to obey you at all times wouldn't work because it's a very general command."

"…Then I'm coming with you two," Sirius said. "Rider can look after Waver for now. Do you know where Caster is?"

"He gave me this," she said, fishing out Caster's roll of paper, which turned out to be a map of the sewers. "…Just be warned, a Caster is at their most powerful in their territory. Let me do the talking. No matter what…"

* * *

The sewer system was foul and dark, and Jeanne regretted coming here already. She was hurt by Harry and Sirius suspecting her loyalties, but she couldn't blame them. Instead, she carefully led them through the sewers, following the map, until finally, they emerged into a chamber.

One that was quite literally a Chamber of Horrors.

Jeanne heard Harry vomit copiously as the lights they had conjured showed what was in the chamber. She wanted to do the same, but kept her composure, albeit with considerable difficulty. _Very_ considerable difficulty.

She was no stranger to horror. She had witnessed the truth about war, of the blood spilled there and of the visceral images one saw there. Of dismembered or disembowelled men, still clinging onto life like a limpet to a rock, despite the fact that they would die soon. She remembered, back when she was a saint, recoiling at this. She remembered the use of the first cannons, and what they did to people. She remembered normal citizens brutalised and raped by soldiers on either side. She even had the memory of her own demise, being burned alive.

And yet, what she saw here made her sick to her stomach.

Children were arranged around the chamber in various ways and stages of dismemberment. All were still horrifyingly alive, and more than a few were emitting noises of agony, even if they were somewhat muted. To add insult to injury, some were arranged into what looked like furnishings of some kind, while others were some sort of bizarre sculptures or artworks shaped out of human flesh and bone.

She had tried to deny that Gilles could be responsible for anything like this. But now, she knew. She knew that Gilles had fallen this far, further than she had fallen. And the horror began to sublimate into something else.

Rage.

Suddenly, tentacles burst out of the darkness and wrapped around Harry and Sirius, tentacles across their mouths. Jeanne whirled to look at them, only to hear Gilles' voice come from out of the darkness. "Excuse the necessity for such things, my sweet Jeanne, but it seems that you have brought unwanted guests who may not appreciate our art."

Jeanne whirled to face Gilles, who, with Ryuunosuke, were walking out of the shadows. Schooling her features, she said, "An understandable precaution, but one of them is my Master. The other is someone dear to him."

"Oh? The Englishman who has ensnared you with his wiles?" Gilles asked, his voice dangerous.

But as he made to reach for his spellbook, Jeanne intervened calmly. Or at least as calmly as she could, under the circumstances. "…There's no need. I came at your request. I've considered your offer, Gilles."

"Oh? So you have made your decision? I knew you would, my dearest Jeanne!" Gilles cheered. "I knew you would make the decision once you saw our art! My Master Ryuunosuke is a wonderful collaborator. He calls it 'cool', a modern idiom that means superlative. Still, I am glad."

"Yes, so am I, Gilles," Jeanne said. "You've used plenty of materials for this, haven't you?"

"Oh yes, and we have some more over there." Gilles pointed to a corner, with Jeanne just barely able to make out about a dozen children, thankfully intact, their eyes glazed over from some sort of hypnosis.

"…Gilles," Jeanne said. "Thank you." She flashed him a smile, one that Gilles beamed at, but Ryuunosuke seemed uneasy at that, backing away. "Thank you for doing this. You have ensured that I know that my answer to your proposal was the correct one. Actually, I have a proposal of my own, one that will ensure victory."

Ryuunosuke chose that moment to run, but Gilles, in rapture, asked, "And what is this proposal, my sweetest Jeanne?"

"_Run. Or. __**BURN**_." Suddenly, flames burst up around Jeanne, and lashed out at the monstrosities holding Harry and Sirius, burning the monsters to ash and freeing the wizards.

"…But why, Jeanne?! WHY?!" Gilles exclaimed, a most plaintive look of despair on his features.

"Why? You stand here, in a chamber filled with these children that you did unspeakable things to, AND YOU DARE ASK ME **_WHY?!_** YOU **_KNEW_** I WAS INNOCENT OF THE CRIMES THE ENGLISH AND THE BURGUNDIANS HAD ME BURNED ALIVE FOR, AND YET, _YOU TOO WOULD HARM THE INNOCENT?!_" She pulled La Pucelle from its sheath, and aimed it at her former comrade. "And you…you're the one who had me come forth as this, an Avenger, a twisted form of myself, condemning me to madness and an all-consuming fury and hatred that threatens to consume even what's left of me, and _you find this good?!_"

"…But this is how you should be, Jeanne!" Gilles protested. "Filled with righteous wrath against France, England, nay, the entire world and God! I WISHED FOR THIS! AND NOW YOU TURN AGAINST ME? FOR WHAT, AN ENGLISHMAN?!"

"He is like me more than you are like me. He too was betrayed and abandoned by those he fought for," Jeanne said, her fury becoming cold. "And you…you're the author of my torment in this existence. For that crime alone, you deserve to burn. Torturing these innocents is just compounding it."

"STOP, JEANNE! I ORDER YOU TO STOP THIS AT ONCE!"

"YOU LET THIS GENIE OUT OF THE BOTTLE, GILLES, YOU CAN'T SHOVE IT BACK IN! KNOW MY PAIN, MY HATRED, AND MY WRATH! **_LE GRONDEMENT DE LA HAINE!_**"

Flames burst forth, and lashed out at her former comrade. He disappeared amongst the flames with a shriek of despair, pain and fury. The flames flowed through the chamber, burning the contents, turning them into ashes. And then, soon, the flames and smoke cleared. Of the children, the mutilated ones were now little more than ashes. The ones who were still alive were milling around, looking scared.

And Gilles? He was gone. Burned to a crisp or fled, she didn't know.

She felt a hand on her shoulder. "Thanks. I was worried for a moment there," Harry said quietly.

"Don't thank me," Jeanne said quietly, her golden eyes meeting Harry's behind his sunglasses, glistening suspiciously with tears. "I don't think I killed him. I think he fled, and I'm not sure where. You, mutt, can you send these brats somewhere safe? I think the Overseer can handle returning these brats to their parents."

"I don't know where the church is," Sirius said.

"We can help in that regard," spoke a voice from behind them. A low female voice, whose owner melted out of the shadows. A dark-skinned woman with long purple hair done up in a ponytail, and a skull-like mask, her body lithe and athletic.

"Assassin…or one of you, anyway," Jeanne said. "How nice for you to come trotting along after the battle has ended."

Assassin scoffed. "Our specialty is targeting Masters, not Servants. We can disguise ourselves with ease and bring these little ones back to the church. From there, the Overseer can deal with them."

"And Caster?" Jeanne said.

Assassin seemed to frown behind her mask, before she said, "Caster remains amongst the living. He remains on the Spirit Board. So you cannot claim victory, despite your valiant efforts. Your Noble Phantasm is impressive, Avenger. I arrived shortly after Caster's Master fled. And to control your wrath to not target the intact children is impressive as well…though for those whom Caster already played with…death was a mercy they needed."

"…That sort of shit makes what Voldemort did look tame by comparison," Sirius muttered. "He was a sadistic bastard, but still…Jeanne…thanks."

"I didn't save your life out of altruism, mutt, but because Harry cares about you, and I care about him," Jeanne told the other wizard coldly, before returning her attention to Assassin. "I can trust you, then, to bring these children to safety?"

Assassin nodded. "I and my other selves may be an Assassin Servant, but we are not without our own sense of honour. And my Master has been ordered to bring them to safety. However, be warned. Your rejection of Caster's offer may cause him to cause further mayhem and violence. He is obsessed with you, after all."

"And with Saber," Harry pointed out. "He seems to think Jeanne and Saber are the same person."

"There's only a slight resemblance," Jeanne said, "but Gilles doesn't seem to care. She's probably his next target. If I can leave the children to you, I want to get the hell out of this place…"

* * *

As they emerged into the sunlight, Harry looked at Jeanne. "Are you all right?"

"Do I look all right to you?" she snapped angrily. "I just confirmed that one of my oldest friends and best allies turned into a fucking child murderer! And he thinks he does it all for my sake!" She gritted her teeth, before suddenly, her stomach finally rebelled against the smell of burned flesh still clinging to her nostrils, and she heaved into the river. "_Nom de Dieu de bordel de merde_," she murmured, wiping her lips with her hand. "He may have even been the one to create me, somehow, directly or not. How do you think that makes me feel?!"

"…Like shit," Harry said bluntly.

"Worse than shit. Shit actually exists. I'm just a fucking _fiction_. Do you understand how fucking distressing that is?!" She sagged. "He wished for me, for a me that would be is ideal Jeanne…and his ideal Jeanne is a fucking _monster_."

"…And yet, you aren't what he wanted," Sirius said. "You're as crazy as Bella in many regards, but you're better in at least one regard. You saved the children who could be saved. And the others…they didn't suffer?"

"Only for a few seconds at most, and considering what Gilles put them through…" Jeanne grit her teeth. "If Gilles decides to target Saber next, then that's where we're heading tonight. The von Einzbern manor where you summoned me, Harry. I will put an end to him, for once and for all…"

**CHAPTER 13 ANNOTATIONS:**

**So, Jeanne has had a bit of a falling out with her old comrade…unfortunately, she didn't succeed in killing him. Something she will regret…**

**No numbered annotations this time.**


	15. Chapter 14: The Kings and the Avenger

**CHAPTER 14:**

**THE KINGS AND THE AVENGER**

As the trio headed back to the Mackenzies, the tension between them lessened. "So, how are we going to do this?" Sirius asked.

"We'll head to the von Einzbern residence later today," Jeanne said. "If we stroll right up, then Emiya should have less reason to target us until we've said our piece. If I am correct about Gilles, he will target Saber next, believing he can make her renounce God and fall into darkness, believing she is me."

"…But Saber is King Arthur, right? That's what Iskandar said," Sirius pointed out.

"Gilles is also utterly insane, in case you didn't notice, and I'm not just talking about murdering children and turning them into…_art_," she spat out the last word. "And while I despise kings and the English, and Arturia is both, she at least made no attempt to conquer outside of her domain. She defended her country, just as I did, and to the death. I guess martyrs call to martyrs."

"And you're going along with this, Harry?" Sirius asked.

Harry nodded. "Caster's murdering kids. He and his Master have to be stopped. Once they're out of the way, I can concentrate on rescuing Sakura in earnest…"

* * *

Iskandar and Waver received the news that they had failed to kill Gilles de Rais with predictable disappointment. Iskandar, however, was indeed open to coming with them to the von Einzbern stronghold to lend a hand, if Caster was indeed striking there next. However, instead of taking Iskandar's chariot there, they opted to drive there, with Jeanne giving directions to Sirius, who hired a car. Oddly enough, he'd learned how to drive a car as well as a motorbike, albeit as a fuck you to his Pureblood family. It was a tight squeeze in the back for Harry, Waver, and Iskandar.

After leaving the car at the edge of the forest, Waver, who looked increasingly nervous, said, "The von Einzberns are sure to have Bounded Fields up to detect our approach…and activate countermeasures if they feel worried."

"It's still the afternoon," Jeanne said. "The rules of the Grail War state that the battles should be done at night or else away from any prying eyes, and while isolated, fights in this area may just be spotted if anything magical happens during the day."

"That's not reassuring," Harry said. "Especially as you stole that car and money from Emiya's offsider."

Jeanne scoffed. "He should be thankful I didn't take her life," she retorted. "She's as empty as Kotomine, a mechanical doll, little more than what you'd call a robot in this day and age…"

* * *

Surprisingly, they were soon met in the forest by Arturia, who greeted them coolly but cordially, before escorting them to the von Einzbern castle. They were soon brought to an opulent dining room that had been converted into a strategy room, though any maps and the like had been tidied away. Arturia announced them curtly.

Harry hadn't met Arturia until now, and he had to admit, despite her gender, he could believe she had the authority of a king. Her escort last night, Irisviel, was utterly beautiful, in an eerie, exotic way. Maiya, he recognised, albeit from when Jeanne rendered her unconscious.

Kiritsugu Emiya, oddly enough, was impressive in an unimpressive way. The handsome but tired-looking Japanese man looked so ordinary, nothing like the infamous assassin Tokiomi Tohsaka or Waver spoke of, though Waver looked like he was on the verge of pissing himself around Emiya. However, he looked up at them, studying them with a Snape-like scrutiny, though with none of the malice. Eventually, he said, "So, you are Avenger's Master."

"…Harry Potter. You've not heard of the name, but I come from another world. So does Sirius, my godfather. I met with Kirei Kotomine, and he told me that I would need to make contact with someone called Kischur Zelretch Schweinorg to get back home."

"Oh? And why tell us this?" Emiya asked.

"Because I only know a little about the magic users of this world, mostly through eavesdropping," Harry said. "It's how I learned about your reputation, as well as the fate of Sakura. Incidentally, I'm sorry for the trouble Avenger has caused you so far, but it's a bit hard to say no to her."

Emiya nodded. "You mean with attacking Maiya and stealing her car. If I had been left here with minimal resources and information…well, I might have done something similar. Avenger's restraint is surprising. However, we are not here for a social gathering. You came here during the daytime for a purpose. What is that?"

"Caster," Jeanne said, stepping forward. "I know who he is, and while I attempted to put paid to him earlier today, he escaped alive. I believe he may target Saber next, as he falsely believes her to be me."

"I am aware of that," Arturia said. "We encountered him last night. He called me 'Jeanne', and identified himself as Gilles de Rais, and refused to accept who I really was."

"In addition, we received, via familiar, a message from the church about his activities, and the reward being offered," Irisviel added.

"I have hampered his activities for now," Jeanne said. "Those of his victims I could save are now on their way to the church for debriefing and removal of their memories. Those who could not…I gave a swift end. However, he is still alive, along with his Master, and able to abduct further victims. For me, putting an end to him has become deeply personal, I will admit that. The reward means little to me."

Emiya scrutinised her. Eventually, he asked, "Why? This seems to be deeper than pursuing him for killing children, or for putting down an old fallen comrade."

"…He desired me the way I am here and now, rather than as the pure Maiden of Orleans," Jeanne said. "I am not happy with that, and I will leave it at that."

Emiya scrutinised her further, before eventually nodding. "Very well. We will be keeping a very close eye on you all. I believe other Masters to intend to take advantage of any attack Caster makes here to target us. In particular, I believe Lancer's Master will target this area."

"I thought he was dead. His hotel blew up," Harry said. "I only know that because Waver happened to mention Lord Yellow-Mellow's fiancée's name. I had drinks with her earlier that night."

"Lord Yellow…" A faint smile twitched at Emiya's lips, before he stifled it, though Irisviel snickered. "Ahem. I was the responsible party for that, evacuating the other guests first before demolishing it. Saber sustained a wound from one of Lancer's Noble Phantasms during the battle at the docks, one that hasn't fully healed. If Lord El-Melloi did die, then Lancer's Noble Phantasm would no longer have an effect."

Waver frowned. "…He survived a hotel being demolished around him? Umm, actually, maybe…I think I heard something about one of his prized Mystic Codes that could have helped him. I heard rumours that he has an alchemically-enchanted mass of mercury, the Volumen Hydragyrum. It's programmed to act as both a defence and as a weapon. I don't know much more about it, though, or whether it would help him survive a hotel falling down around him."

"…Well, that's more than I knew already," Emiya said, giving a brief nod of appreciation to him. "Though you are a fool to want to rush into the Holy Grail War, Waver. You clearly had no idea of what you were getting into."

"And yet, the boy has just enough mettle to ride by my side, Magus Killer," Iskandar said, crossing his arms. "You hid in the shadows while your valiant Servant did battle. Then again, I doubt that it is mettle you lack, merely honour. Unlike my would-be Master, you would fight quite well both in the shadows and in the light. Your eyes are like diamond, hard, cold and sharp. I have the measure of you. Still, as long as you do not target the boy or our allies during this night, I am more than willing to put an end to Caster's depravities."

"Gilles himself did not have any innate abilities in magecraft, to my knowledge," Jeanne said. "Therefore, his abilities probably come from a Noble Phantasm. Probably the spellbook he was holding when we confronted him in his lair. I'd bet it was something Prelati gave him."

"Prelati?" Harry asked.

"François Prelati," Irisviel provided. "Gilles de Rais' partner-in-crime when it came to allegedly summoning demons."

"He summoned _something_," Sirius said, rubbing his throat unconsciously. "Some weird monsters with too many tentacles. He used them to restrain Harry and I when we were with Jeanne in Caster's lair. Frankly, I thought she was going to leave us to rot."

"You, I would," Jeanne said.

"Hmm. While I am uneasy about allying myself with you, I appreciate the information," Emiya said. "However, I personally think that you three, Waver, Harry and Sirius should leave the castle and command your Servants from your home base. It would be too dangerous for you, Waver, to be too close when your old teacher comes calling. As for you two, I don't know you, nor do I trust you, if only because you are rogue elements in this Grail War."

"Love you too," Sirius said, rolling his eyes. "Look, I don't trust you either, Mr Magus Killer. But back home, I used to be a hitwizard, like a wizarding version of SWAT, when we were actually competent. And Harry has been in more life-or-death situations than someone his age has call for because a wizarding terrorist wanted him dead since he was born. We're more competent than you think, and our magic is different to yours. I can Apparate, what you would call teleportation, for example."

"And we didn't come here specifically to help you," Harry said. "We came to stop Caster. Although to be frank, as long as you don't stab us in the back, we won't do the same to you. Besides, I'd rather help you than Tohsaka."

"I see. The enemy of my enemy is my friend. If nothing else, I will accept that much," Emiya said. "Well, as long as you don't get in the way should any other Masters come calling, I will accept that. However, are you aware that the Overseer is colluding with Tokiomi Tohsaka?"

"He's only maintaining the appearance of doing so after he learned about Sakura's situation, so he claimed," Harry pointed out. "I believe him."

"The younger priest, Kirei…I'm not so sure about," Jeanne said. "He seems hollow, like the walking dead. But he seems to follow his father's lead. Incidentally, are you going to help us rescue Sakura?"

"No." And as Harry opened his mouth to protest, he said, "Listen first. I find that situation appalling and detestable. I have a daughter myself, Illyasviel, and the thought of her being in such a situation like that makes me shudder. But I also have my own desire for the Holy Grail, and if I aid and abet you in saving her overtly, I draw more attention than I am willing to countenance. However, I do have a proposal that will satisfy you. Once you save Sakura, which you seem to be working towards, you will draw the ire of Tokiomi Tohsaka and Zouken Matou. I will then endeavour to deal with Tohsaka and Kariya Matou as they come for you. You do what you were originally intending to do, and by drawing Tohsaka and Matou out, I can pick them off."

"I'm not fucking bait," Jeanne sneered, only for Iskandar to put a hand on her shoulder and shake his head.

"You must be a cold-hearted and dispassionate wretch to not directly assist in such a thing, but then again, I saw that already, Magus Killer," Iskandar said coldly, before his crimson eyes sought out Arturia. "I pity the King of Knights for having the likes of you as a Master. That said, it is sound, though we have been discussing methods to conceal our base of operations. But before anything else, we have to deal with Caster tonight. Are we in agreement in that much, and that, between the three Masters, Servants and their associates present here, we have a ceasefire?"

"Yes, we do," Irisviel said firmly, shooting Emiya a look, as if daring him to contradict her. He nodded, albeit with apparent reluctance…

* * *

Irisviel had the Homunculi maids cook up a meal for the guests, and had all but forced Emiya and Maiya to sit down and eat, with Arturia doing the same at Iskandar's invitation. After all, while Servants didn't actually need to eat unless they were low on mana, it didn't mean they couldn't eat for pleasure. Emiya seemed to relax a little as he ate, and the tension in the air lessened. Harry could understand Emiya's reasons, but it didn't mean he liked them. Cold-hearted bastard.

"So…is Irisviel your wife?" Sirius asked.

Emiya nodded. "The von Einzbern family had me marry into the family. Irisviel is one of their best Homunculi, though to be fair, their entire family is almost entirely composed of them."

"I heard that the von Einzbern family line was not that well-suited for combat," Waver mused, before he hurriedly looked over at Irisviel. "Sorry, I didn't mean any offence, Miss Irisviel!"

"None taken, Waver, and please, call me Irisviel. It's true that, while we are still perfectly capable of magical combat, our ability compared to others is admittedly low, due to our specialisation in alchemy magecraft," Irisviel said with a smile. "That is why my family retained Kiritsugu. They viewed his abilities and reputation as being perfect to act as their proxy. My family desires the Third True Magic, Heaven's Feel."

"The what now?" Sirius asked.

"There are five known True Magics," Emiya said, "though a number have been lost. To my knowledge, only two known practitioners of True Magic exist. Zelretch possesses the Second True Magic, Kaleidoscope, allowing for viewing of and travel to parallel worlds, along with harnessing energy from them. The Fifth True Magic, known as the Blue, is harnessed by Aoko Aozaki, and is said to involve a form of time manipulation. The Third True Magic is Heaven's Feel, and has to do with the materialisation of the soul. In many ways, it can even bring the dead back to life or make someone immortal. A limited version can still be used by the von Einzberns. It's because of that that the Holy Grail War can summon Heroic Spirits."

"And they can reclaim that through the Grail?" Sirius asked.

"The Grail is a pathway to Akasha," Waver said. "The power and knowledge of the True Magics are said to reside there. I personally wanted to win the Grail for the prestige, though, not for Akasha."

"That's probably wise," Emiya said. "You know who I am, Waver, and what I do…but you may not understand why, or at least part of it. I have seen too many Magi perform atrocity upon atrocity to further their journey to the Root. It's often my job to take care of such monsters. And in any case, those who reach Akasha often get unwanted attention from the likes of Alaya, the Collective Will of Humanity."

"…Crap," Waver said paling.

"That's a bad thing?" Sirius asked.

"Alaya will respond to any threat to humanity's survival in a very disproportionate manner," Emiya supplied. "Usually by sending Counter-Guardians as janitors to clean up the mess. So yes, that _is_ a bad thing…"

* * *

Soon after dinner, Harry and the others were left to their own devices, while Emiya and his group held a strategy meeting in another room. "Can we trust him?" Sirius asked.

"I believe we can, for now," Iskandar said. "Even if he doesn't betray us, watching us fight will give him further intelligence on our abilities, so he's a prudent and pragmatic man who would make the most of any situation while trying to stack the deck in his favour. As I said, I know his ilk. That being said, boy, it may be safer for you to ride with me than to be in this castle. If your old teacher comes here seeking revenge, and finds you…"

Waver gulped. "…Yeah, I can imagine. Though other Masters might attack as well. What will you two do?" he asked Harry and Sirius.

"We'll figure something out," Sirius said. "Still, you're probably right about Arturia. Working with someone like Kiritsugu Emiya can't be good for her morale."

"Normally, I would say she should put up or shut up," Jeanne said, crossing her arms, "but I actually do feel for her a little. Arturia fought to defend her country, and died for it, as did I."

Iskandar chose that moment to scoff. "While it may have been the role of a saint, to martyr one's self is a fool's errand as a king. She saved Britain, but she never led them."

"Oh, right, and she should have been like you, you kleptomaniacal _connard?_" Jeanne sneered. "A glorified thief who led a band of brigands and rapists across the Middle East to carve out an empire, and out of what? Ambition? Greed?"

"My conquests inspired my subjects!" Iskandar protested.

Jeanne's sneer deepened. "Those you trampled underfoot thought otherwise, I'm sure. Henry V no doubt thought he was Alexander the Great for his time. Arturia may be an English king like Henry, but she never took what wasn't hers. Unlike you, King of Thieves and Rapists."

Before Iskandar could muster up a reply, Arturia burst into the room. "Please, come quickly," she said urgently.

They followed her, and they found Emiya and Maiya clustered around a crystal ball Irisviel was using. It showed an image of Gilles de Rais leading a group of children through the now dark forests around the castle. "…Too far away to activate any further effects of the Bounded Field to assist us, and he knows it," Irisviel was saying. "He must be hoping that the children will prevent us from using them anyway."

"He's trying to lure Saber out," Kiritsugu mused, looking perturbed. "But does he know Avenger is here?"

"I don't know," Irisviel said, only to squeak when Gilles peered directly up at her. "…He can sense our scrying!" she hissed.

"_Good evening, my dearest Jeanne and those holding her shackles!_" Gilles announced. "_I wish to see my pure holy maiden._"

"…Irisviel, where the fuck is he?" Jeanne said, gritting her teeth.

"Two kilometres northeast of here," Irisviel said.

"Then we'd best make haste," Iskandar decided. "My chariot can get us there sooner than your legs can carry you…hmm?"

Sirius blinked, noticing Harry's condition. He was trembling in fear and rage when he saw one of the children. "Harry, what's wrong?"

Harry just pointed to a girl with purple hair and dull eyes of the same colour, next to Gilles. "…That bastard…Jeanne…make sure you kill him this time."

"I intended to…but why?"

"…That monster has kidnapped Sakura."

**CHAPTER 14 ANNOTATIONS:**

**Oh dear, Gilles. You done goofed. But this could be the opportunity Harry needs…**

**Before any questions are asked, Ryuunosuke, after fleeing the inferno, came across Sakura coming home from school and kidnapped her. We'll go into it later.**

**Review-answering time! ****Guest**** (regarding Jeanne's Noble Phantasm): I only really spelled it this way because both the Type MOON wiki and the ****_Fate/Grand Order_**** wiki pointed out that the game translation is grammatically incorrect.**

**Zero****: Harry got chucked through the Veil before ****_Assassin's Creed_**** was released, so sorry, but no. One day, I may work that into a fic (maybe into ****_Zabaniya_****? Harry IS shacked up with Hassan of Serenity, after all), but it won't happen in this one.**

**No numbered annotations this time.**


	16. Chapter 15: Monsters and Magi

**CHAPTER 15:**

**MONSTERS AND MAGI**

"Jeanne!" Sirius yelled. When the Avenger turned to face him, he tossed her a coin. "That's a Portkey, it'll take her back to the Mackenzies. The activation phrase is 'Mischief Managed'."

"Right!" she said, before she and the other Servants, Waver being hauled along by Iskandar, rushed out of the door.

Harry watched as Gilles removed the hypnosis from the children, and then explained that they were going to play Hide and Seek, and if they were caught…Gilles reached over, grabbed a boy by the skull, and then crushed it like an overripe fruit, causing gore to spray everywhere. Even Maiya grimaced in disgust at the sight. "_Still_…" Gilles remarked as almost all of the children fled, "_this one is most unusual. Ryuunosuke saw this little lamb coming home from school, and his eye for art picked her out. So he brought her to me with the rest of the flock._" He gently picked up the last remaining child, Sakura, who seemed oddly unafraid, though her expression was one of quiet despair. "_What horrors she must have experienced to become so dead inside? Whoever sculpted this one is a genius even I cannot compare to. She intrigued me, so I have decided to keep her. I will not sully this one, not when she is already such a work of art. I wonder, Jeanne…will you get here in time to save any of them?_"

"…That's Sakura?" Irisviel asked. Harry nodded. "…Kiritsugu…what Zouken Matou did to her…"

"I know. I'd love nothing more than to deal with him myself," Kiritsugu said quietly. "Still, we should have kept at least one Servant here for defence. Lord El-Melloi may come here seeking to take advantage, as might other Masters. If we're lucky, three Servants at once may overwhelm him, and they can return in time to help. Maiya, go and set up the traps for any unruly guests."

Maiya nodded, and left. "Traps?" Harry asked.

"Claymore mines and the like," Kiritsugu said. "Most Magi wouldn't consider defending themselves against mundane weaponry, or else believe their Mystic Codes to be superior to them. You'd be surprised at how often that works."

"Actually, I'm not," Sirius said. "While most wizards back home are ignorant of Muggle weaponry, a Shield Charm can protect someone from bullets…if you know you're about to get fired upon. Dunno about a Claymore mine. How does that work?"

"You know what a shotgun is?" Kiritsugu asked. On Sirius' nod, he said, "Like that, only more powerful. Lots of metal pellets being propelled at high speed."

Sirius whistled. "Damn. I don't want to get on your bad side…"

* * *

"GILLES!" roared Jeanne as she and her allies for the night came to a halt in Iskandar's chariot. She leapt out, drawing La Pucelle from its sheath, and pointing it at her former comrade-in-arms.

"…Jeanne?! What are you doing here, with your purer counterpart?! No, NO, NO! THIS WASN'T HOW IT WAS MEANT TO BE!" Gilles snapped, throwing a tantrum.

"_VE TE FAIRE FOUTRE!_" Jeanne screamed back, before leaping forward…but not at Gilles. Instead, she grabbed Sakura, and leapt back, and handed the coin to her, whispering in her ear. Sakura looked at her, before finally, she whispered something else, and then vanished. "Still, I have to thank you. That girl is someone my Master has intended to rescue from a vile fate, and you, in your depravity, helped us out." Jeanne cackled. "_Merci mille fois_, Gilles. In doing the work of the Devil, you have done the work of God. Now, I'll show my gratitude by killing you quickly!"

Gilles' face twisted into a paroxysm of shock and anger. "You dare…to steal such a work of art from me, Jeanne?! UNFORGIVABLE! YOU ARE NO LONGER MY JEANNE! I WILL BANISH YOU FROM EXISTENCE, AND START ANEW!" He fished out his spellbook, but Jeanne was faster, a metal stake spearing through it with a gesture, before bursting into flames.

Gilles stared at the ashes in horror, but had no time to do anything before Arturia, with a scream of fury, impaled the deranged Caster on Excalibur. "This is for the children you murdered, you monster."

Gilles vomited up a gout of blood, before he chortled. "…Even with my death…did you think those children would be saved? Save for the one you just stole, I made them sacrifices, to summon a magnificent horde of demons, implanted them with demonic essence, and all you did with such a stroke was kill them with the demons within them." Gilles chuckled wetly, blood dribbling down his chin.

"No," Arturia said, glaring at Gilles. "You murdered them yourself when you did that. Now die." She tore Excalibur from his chest, and then swiped off his head with the blade. "A mercy you do not deserve, a quick death. But you are too dangerous to allow to live, Caster."

"I agree," Jeanne said, before summoning a massive gout of flame, consuming Caster's body, just to be sure. "We'd better head back to the others, before any other Servants or Masters come calling…"

* * *

They reached the front entrance of the von Einzbern castle just in time to see a blonde-haired man with arrogant features, pouring out mercury, while murmuring, "_Fervor, mei sanguis. Automatoportum Defensio. Automatoportum Quaerere. Dilectus Incursio._" He only looked up when the chariot landed, the mercury next to him swelling into a blob that seemed eerily alive. And suddenly, he realised that he might be outmatched. "Oh."

"Oh?" Iskandar asked, raising a red eyebrow. "Were you going to assault the von Einzbern stronghold, and without your Servant?"

"I sent Lancer to deal with Caster, while I…ah. You forced Caster to retreat already?" he asked, looking anxious and disconcerted.

"I burned his little book to ashes," Jeanne said with a vicious grin to what had to be Lord El-Melloi. "Saber turned him into a shish-kebab. I turned the corpse to ashes." Her grin widened as she dismounted from the chariot, and strutted towards him, not caring about the mercury blob standing near him. "Now…hmm…how to deal with you? Setting you on fire? Impaling you? All too quick." She looked back at Waver. "Oh, right, what were you saying to your former student, about showing him how much he will suffer in the Holy Grail War?" She turned back to him, and her grin widened to disturbingly inhuman lengths, clapping her hands together in glee. "You'll make a fine example yourself."

He held up his hand, panicked. "Lancer, by my Command Seal…ARRRRRGGGHHHH!"

His scream of pain was due to Jeanne dashing forward, and slashing off his hand with La Pucelle, cursed flames cauterising the wound, the mercury tendril that tried to protect him no obstacle. She caught the hand with the Command Seals, before incinerating it. "You do know your fiancée hates you?" she said, grasping him by the chin and forcing him to look at her. "She hates your very guts. Well…time to set her free."

"Wait, wait! I can give you anything you want. Just let me…"

"_Bored now_," Jeanne said in a singsong tone, before setting him on fire. The process took well over half a minute, but soon, Lord El-Melloi was little more than ashes and the echoes of his agonised screams. She then looked at the mass of mercury, which seemed to, oddly, quail beneath her gaze. "You. _Heel_."

Almost as if it was a cowed dog, it slithered over to her. Jeanne turned back to the others, only to scowl on seeing their faces. Waver looked horrified, Iskandar looked mildly disapproving, and Arturia…it wasn't so mild. "…What the actual fuck is your major malfunction?"

"…I was hoping to have Saber and Lancer settle things before I confronted them again. It just feels…anticlimactic for you to burn Lancer's Master to a crisp," Iskandar said. "And without his Master, Lancer will fade."

"…I see no problems with this whatsoever. Lord Yellow-Mellow came here to try and kill Arturia's Master, and while he's a prick, we are in alliance with him, and frankly, I like Arturia more than I like some Irish pretty boy whose main claim to fame was having _two_ penis substitutes _and a love spot!_ Not to mention having his king's wife run away with him, against his own will apparently."

"He had more honour than you, Avenger," Arturia said coldly.

"_Honour?_" Jeanne asked, making the word sound like an expletive, before spitting on the ground, making it sizzle by imparting some heat to it. "Honour is just something for your enemies to exploit. Chivalry is just dressing up atrocity in a pretty little surcoat, ready to be discarded on a whim. I may keep my word, but don't mistake that for honour or chivalry or any tenet the saint I was would have adhered to. I helped those children because there are some things even I cannot stand, even as I am now. I stopped Gilles not just because he was an enemy Servant, or that he harmed those children, but because he was, either knowingly or not, the one responsible for making me this way." She stormed up to Arturia and poked her in the armoured chest. "_Look at me, King Arthur!_ That monster, not content with murdering and torturing children and twisting them into his idea of art, took my fucking Saint Graph, and turned me from a saint into a monster like he is! He raped my soul, and left it tarnished, blackened and twisted! He, or the oh-so-precious Grail we are fighting over, did that! Now, imagine that happening to you, or one of your beloved knights, and don't be so fucking quick to pass judgement."

"And you passed judgement on that man," Arturia said. "You burned him alive."

"…And? Your point? Not only was he a coward, but he wanted to kill Waver for the crime of hurting his pride. I don't know about you, but even for me, that's a tad disproportionate, _n'est-ce pas?_ And Diarmuid wanted to follow a man like that, no matter what, out of honour? Just like you follow an assassin like Kiritsugu Emiya? For what? Your honour must not mean much to you if you are willing to team up with someone like that."

"His wish is something I agree with!" Arturia protested. "That is why I am willing to fight, even if we clash!"

"Good for you," Jeanne said disdainfully. "I don't even know if I have a wish anymore, or at least not one for the Grail."

"What, not even to lay waste to your enemies?" Iskandar asked.

"My enemies are dead, and hopefully burning in Hell," Jeanne said. "I can't be arsed going to France to lay waste to it. Redoing my life? Boring. At the moment, my greatest wish is to punish those responsible for Sakura's fate. And I'd rather do that myself. Then again, I was born from the wishes and desires of Gilles. Maybe I don't have a wish, not one the Grail can grant me. Unless it's to summon God from Heaven and burn His genitals to ashes."

"…Jeanne, please don't take this the wrong way, but you have issues," Waver said.

"And in other breaking news, the ocean is a little wet," Jeanne said. "And while I can take it the wrong way, you, I don't mind. You're a whiny little wimp who's out of his depth…and yet, you've still got some balls doing what you did in the first place. Now, come on, I need to fetch my Master and his dogfather."

"…Don't you mean godfather?" Arturia asked.

"…Well, apparently he can turn into a mangy mutt…"

* * *

"You have a very dangerous Servant there, Harry," Emiya observed as he looked at the scrying crystal. He'd been about to send Maiya and Irisviel out to evacuate them when Caster had been killed, as they detected Lord El-Melloi approaching. Now, he and Harry had exchanged phone numbers, just in case. "Pragmatic."

"…Yeah," Harry said. "She's a bit too trigger happy for my liking too. Still, Sakura's safe, for now."

"True, but Zouken Matou will not give up his prize easily, and Tokiomi Tohsaka won't take this lying down. Even if he finds it hard to control his Archer Servant, he is still a powerful Magus."

"I know that already," Harry said, undoing his bandages and showing the burn scars. "Emiya…if you ever do confront Tokiomi…will you ensure you take everything away from him barring his life?"

After a moment's thought, Emiya took out a bullet and showed it to him. "This will take what he treasures most. It's no ordinary bullet. My…mentor, who created them for me, called it an Origin Round, and it's made from a few of my own ribs she extracted surgically and processed. My magical origin is a concept, that of 'cutting and tying', rather like my first name. In Japanese, it can mean the same thing, with 'kiri' meaning _cut_ and 'tsugu' meaning _tie_. If I fire this into something with mana being supplied to it by a Magus…my origin will manifest in that something, and in the Magus. It cuts and ties their magic circuits. If something is cut and tied, the knot and the parts that were cut are changed. In other words…"

"A massive short circuit?" Harry guessed.

Emiya nodded. "And not just magic circuits are affected, but your own body is too. You'd have a seizure, end up potentially paralysed. If a Magus survives being hit by this, it's unlikely they will ever be able to use magecraft again. For someone like Tokiomi, that would be a fate worse than death. Would that satisfy you?"

"…Immensely," Harry said with grim satisfaction. "So, you're letting us go?"

"…You are a wild card, and I'm worried about the impact you will have. But you have a grudge against Tokiomi Tohsaka, and Avenger, along with Saber, took down Caster, and, potentially, Lancer."

"Only potentially?" Sirius asked. "Jeanne flamebroiled Lord Yellow-Mellow to a crisp."

"True, but Lancer may seek out a new Master. He doesn't have much time to do it, but it's still possible," Kiritsugu pointed out. "In any case, I am satisfied with the night's events, and you can go and claim the Command Seal the Overseer offered as a reward. But I suggest you do not trust him. I believe he is colluding with Tokiomi Tohsaka, and his son's Assassin isn't dead."

"We know that," Harry said. "He's only pretending to help Tokiomi now. He knows about the Crest Worms in Sakura and that Tokiomi knew now. And Assassin helped us rescue those kids from Caster's lair. I don't trust Kirei much, Jeanne called him hollow, the walking dead, but I trust his father."

"…I hope you are right, but I do not intend to trust him myself." Emiya walked over, and proffered his hand. Harry took it. "Thank you," he said, a little reluctantly.

"If you manage to cripple Tokiomi Tohsaka, then we're definitely even," Harry said. "Once that is done…well, I want to ensure that Sakura has a good life, and with her, the rest of us."

"…My wish will ensure that. Now, you can go. And Harry?" His usual stoic expression softened. "Look after Sakura well."

"I will," Harry said, with grim determination…

* * *

They returned to the Mackenzie home soon after (Harry bemused by the fact that Jeanne had tamed what Waver called the Volumen Hydragyrum), to find Sakura being fussed over by the elderly Mackenzies. Sakura looked…well, heartbreakingly dead inside to Harry. He walked over to her, and knelt down, emerald eyes meeting violet. "…Hi, Sakura. You don't know me…but I knew your sister. That's why I came to rescue you."

"…Uncle Kariya thought he could save me. But…you can't save me from Grandfather," she said bleakly, far too bleakly for such a young girl.

"Neither he nor Tokiomi Tohsaka will hurt you ever again, not as long as I'm still alive," Harry said.

"I agree," Jeanne said, kneeling down in front of Sakura. "I promise you, Sakura, those who had hurt you…they will _burn_…"

**CHAPTER 15 ANNOTATIONS:**

**Oh dear. Caster is dead, Lord El-Melloi is dead (no great loss, either way), and Sakura has been rescued…but this is sure to stir up the hornet's nest.**

**Now, why did Kiritsugu let them go? He's a pretty pragmatic guy, right? He could have shot them while they were in his domain. Well, true, but it'd be a pyrrhic victory, as their Servants were close enough to retaliate. In addition, he has some gratitude for dealing with Gilles and Lord El-Melloi, even if Lancer is not definitely out of the picture yet (and Diarmuid will make an appearance later), and he has some small regard for their rescuing Sakura. And as he stated before, taking Sakura means that Harry and the others are big targets for Kariya and Tokiomi, meaning he can take out those pursuing Harry. He's also secretly hoping, albeit not too hard (Waver and Harry are rather young, and he pities them, and there's Harry's desire to help Sakura), that one of those two takes them out and thus removes another obstacle between him and the Grail.**

**Incidentally, I said in previous reviews that I had only written 16 chapters. I've managed to squeeze a seventeenth out.**

**Review-answering time! ****EmeraldGuardian7****: He does fight Kariya briefly in the newly-written Chapter 17, and while he doesn't really do much fighting, his pragmatic actions are key to Jalter winning. He will participate more and more in battles, at least against other Masters…specifically Tokiomi and Sola-Ui. Well, assuming he gets to fight the latter.**

**ReishinAmara****: …Crotch-Calibur? ****_What_****.**

**Harmonious Arkos Sloth****: I think Zouken would have forbidden Kariya from going too close to Sakura. So while Zouken is keeping an eye on her with his familiars, at least on trips to and from school, Kariya is unaware. Zouken will, as Chapter 17 reveals, unveil what happened and paint matters in a bad enough light to sic Kariya on Harry. He's keeping an eye on matters, and he actually thinks being kidnapped by Caster and made to witness his atrocities would do a good job in further grinding her resistance into dust, as long as Caster's no immediate threat to Sakura.**

**jgkitarel****: Harry's insanity has mostly abated, though his morals are admittedly looser than they were before. He simply needed someone to talk to, and Jalter helped, and finding Sirius helped even more.**

**No numbered annotations this time.**


	17. Chapter 16: Healing Wounded Souls

**CHAPTER 16:**

**HEALING WOUNDED SOULS**

The others were sleeping for now. Sirius, in order to protect the Mackenzies, had cast something called the Fidelius Charm on it, with Glen Mackenzie as the Secret Keeper. Sirius had used space-expansion charms to allow for more space in the house for the guests. Jeanne, however, didn't need to sleep, and couldn't sleep even if she wanted to. So, instead, she sat on the roof of the house, thinking about last night's events.

She didn't truly regret killing either Kayneth or Gilles. Rather, being forced to kill Gilles, one of her oldest friends and comrades, disturbed her greatly, even if he had become a monster. His desires, directly or not, had led to her genesis, her manifestation as this twisted self. But his death had given her little peace or satisfaction, only some comfort in that he would not be killing or harming those children any longer.

"Do you mind if I join you?"

The voice was that of Glen Mackenzie, the old man who actually owned this house. He had popped up out of a skylight. For a moment, Jeanne nearly told him to fuck off, before sighing. It was his house after all. And maybe she needed to talk to someone. So she nodded.

"…I heard from Sirius that you've been through a tough night," Glen said.

"I killed two men, one of whom was once an old comrade and friend of mine, and yet, he'd teamed up with that serial killer you've probably seen in the news," Jeanne said quietly. "The other wanted to kill Waver. I'm not actually feeling guilty about that."

"I can tell. But their deaths still perturb you, or at least that of your old friend. It's strange, really. When Sirius came into our lives five years ago…well, it made our retirement interesting, to say the least. Magic exists in this world! Then, Waver came along. I wish he'd been a bit more upfront before he decided to meddle with our memories, but still, once Sirius set him straight after he summoned Iskandar, well…he's been a delight. And in our house, we have Alexander the Great and Joan of Arc."

"…I'm not the real Joan of Arc," Jeanne said bitterly. "I'm just a fiction, a monster created by Caster's wishes."

"Young lady, I'm old, but I'm not senile. While you may have rather loose morals, you are no monster. A monster would have thought nothing of leaving that girl, Sakura, in that situation. Sirius told me what she went through, and frankly, it's appalling and disgusting. To think, her father knowingly allowed that to happen to her. And he lives not that far away, I believe, even if we cannot exactly call the cops on him. So too do the Matous. No, Tokiomi Tohsaka is a monster. Even if you are a fiction, you are no monster. Especially as, if what Sirius told me about his godson is correct, he would never ally himself with a monster. What you did was a good thing, saving children from being killed by that monster."

"What are you, a cop or a soldier or something?" Jeanne asked, tiring of the drivel.

"Actually, I owned an export and import business," Glen said. "I did some English teaching too at a nearby school. Still do. But I've lived long enough to be a decent judge of people, I think. You're damaged and you're a damn sight too violent for my liking, given what Waver said about that stoush at the docks, but a monster you are not. Are you trying to convince yourself that you are?"

Jeanne winced. Glen meant well, but she didn't want to talk about it. But then, a memory struck her as she lay against the roof and looked up at the stars, glimmering in the sky, while a band of early dawn's light peeked over the horizon. "…I remember…back when I was alive…just sitting back and looking at the sky." A sad chuckle escaped her lips. "I got into trouble for doing that, as I skipped chores to do that. Except…these aren't my memories. They're someone else's, the damned saint's. Some part of me thinks I am what the saint should have been after being betrayed and burned alive, and my memories reflect that. Except…I know they've been tampered with. They feel wrong, stitched together like a patchwork doll."

"Then become more than that. Even if you are a patchwork doll, you can become more." Glen looked up at the sky. "Once, I met this guy at a bar elsewhere in Japan. Weird guy, had tanned skin and white hair. Looked Japanese. Had the whole weight of the world on his shoulders, I could tell. We got to talking…I think he was a mercenary of some kind, in hindsight. There'd just been some terrorist attack nearby, and I wonder if he had anything to do with it. Anyway, we got to talking, and he claimed he owned a lot of replica swords, calling it his hobby. He once told me…there's no rule that says that a fake can't surpass the original. Even if you can't be more saintly than the original Joan of Arc, maybe you can do more good in the world than she did."

Jeanne scoffed quietly. "…Can I?"

"Who knows? Joan of Arc died at the age of 19, right? If you survive this, you have a whole lifetime to do more. Though let me give you some advice. Even though he's changed quite a bit, from what Sirius told me, Harry is a good kid. Damaged, but decent. You'd do worse for a friend than him."

Jeanne opened her mouth to deny that he was a friend, before she closed it, unable to deny it. "…I don't love him. I'm not sure whether I'm capable of it."

"Hey, it's early days yet, and besides, I said a friend, not a boyfriend or anything. Besides, you killed your old comrade partly to protect Harry. That says a lot about your feelings for him."

"Maybe…but desire is often a flame, often being snuffed out as suddenly as it is ignited," Jeanne said morosely.

"Who said anything about desire? You are his friend already. Whether you take things further is up to you. But…I think there's something that can be grown there. Take it from someone who's been around the block…"

* * *

Harry had gone to sleep, or at least attempted to do so, trying hard not to think about the children who had died at Caster's hands. It was disturbingly easy. Maybe it was because he knew that those children were dead once Caster put those demons into them. He wasn't sure he wanted to think about it. Instead, he tried to focus on the fact that Sakura was safe, and Gilles de Rais would no longer be a problem. That helped.

However, early the next morning, Harry was woken by the trill of the mobile phone he had obtained from Kirei Kotomine. Fumbling for it, he answered it. "Hello?"

"_Harry, it's Risei Kotomine_," came the voice of the priest. "_I'm sorry for the early time of my calling you, but I am sure you can infer why._"

"Is this about Caster and Lord El-Melloi?"

"_Partly. However, Assassin witnessed your rescue of Sakura. To my knowledge, neither Tokiomi nor Zouken Matou had familiars in the area at the time, but I cannot be sure. I rang you partly to give you a warning to that effect. In addition, I wished to express my gratitude for both saving Sakura and putting paid to Caster. He is most definitely dead, the Spirit Board no longer showing his presence. On my orders, my son sent Assassin after his Master to ensure he plagues the city no longer. We've set it up to look like suicide, and the local authorities will be notified after a suitable cover-up is arranged._"

"And Lancer?"

"_Is still alive. Now, I believe I know how that is possible. Leaving aside the window he had until he could find a new Master, Assassin found Lord El-Melloi and his fiancée discussing matters after they escaped their hotel being demolished. Lord El-Melloi tinkered with the summoning, so that, while he possessed the Command Seals, his fiancée supplied the mana, so that he could use his magecraft and Mystic Codes with relative impunity. Either Sola-Ui's desire for the Grail was great enough for her to gain Command Seals from it, or Lancer found another Master. I believe the former to be more likely, and I personally pity him for it._"

"Why?"

"…_Sola-Ui is intensely infatuated with Lancer_."

"Oh. And considering his legend, from what Avenger told me…"

"_Indeed. Now, I will give you the phone number of the Zenjou household. This is where Aoi and Rin are staying, as Aoi's maiden name was Zenjou. I'm sure they are eager to speak to Sakura._" He rattled off a phone number which Harry hurriedly noted down. "_Now, as for the reward for slaying Caster…who did so?_"

"It was a joint effort between Saber and Avenger, though Saber was the one who delivered the killing blow. Rider also brought us to the battlefield swiftly. However, Kiritsugu Emiya doesn't trust you. He knows you were colluding with Tokiomi, and that Assassin's death was faked, so I doubt he'd come to claim the reward."

"_I see. I can understand that. However, he should also be careful. I was told by my son that he set up surveillance on the church, albeit outside the protective Bounded Field we have. That skirts the line of our rules. Not enough to warrant anything more than a reprimand, to be sure, but still…Kiritsugu Emiya is a man who would break the rules if it suited him, and if he believed he could get away with it._"

"I'm sure," Harry said. "But he's better than Tokiomi in at least one regard. He seems to give a damn about his daughter. Risei, if I wished to withdraw from the Grail War, would I have to forfeit my contract with Avenger?"

"_I'm afraid so. A Master with a contract with a Servant must participate until either one falls. And even doing so while you have Sakura would be tricky, as Tokiomi and Zouken would potentially pursue you to reclaim what they believe is theirs. I can speak with my superiors to assist you, but I cannot guarantee your safety absolutely. In truth, your best bet is to deal with Tokiomi, ensure that he cannot fight anymore at the very least. I wish you the best of luck, Harry. While I do not wish my friend to die, he must nonetheless face the consequences of his actions_…"

* * *

Shortly afterwards, he came down to the small dining room, only to find Martha Mackenzie and Sakura there. "Poor thing woke up in a frightful state," Martha explained as she bustled around the kitchen. "Not screaming, but…she was having a nightmare. She won't return to that place?"

"…Not while I draw breath," Harry said quietly.

"…Nobody can defy Grandfather," whimpered Sakura, who was shivering, her dull purple eyes glistening with tears. "You're all going to die."

Harry fought down his first impulse, a flash of anger, at her words, too pessimistic for a six year old to utter. Instead, he walked over to the table and sat down next to her. "…Let me tell you a story. Once, there was a baby boy with magic whose parents loved him very much," he said. "So much so, they were willing to die for him. And just as well, for there was an evil wizard who wanted the baby boy dead, thinking he'd become a threat. Of course, his mother was clever, and found a way to stop the evil wizard, but at the cost of her life. That boy became famous as the Boy Who Lived, because he survived an instant-death curse that killed everyone else. However, the boy was left with relatives by an idiot of an old man who thought he was safer there. In truth, his relatives treated him like a servant."

Sakura, despite herself, looked at him, intrigued by the story. Eventually, Harry continued, "Then, at the age of eleven, the Boy Who Lived discovered he was a wizard. He went off to school to learn magic."

"Clock Tower?" Sakura asked.

"No, a Scottish castle called Hogwarts." Sakura giggled, despite herself, and Harry chuckled as well. "Yeah, I know. However, the evil wizard couldn't die, wouldn't die, and kept coming back to try and kill the boy again. He…didn't succeed, partly because he was too arrogant, and partly because the boy was very, very lucky. But…one day, his luck ran out. The evil wizard finally died for good, but those he helped were afraid that the boy, now a young man, had become the new evil wizard. So, they tossed him through a portal that was said to lead to the realm of the dead. Instead, it was another world. In the process, he became a snake, and befriended a girl, a lonely girl who missed her sister, but couldn't speak of it to her parents, for they didn't want her to cry over it. So the snake went to investigate…only to find unspeakable things done to the sister of the lonely girl. Angry, the snake went to confront the father of both girls, and _he knew_. He _knew_ what was being done to his youngest daughter. And this, he would not let stand. Because…even if he wasn't the Boy Who Lived anymore, he knew what it was like to suffer, to consider yourself alone."

"…You're talking about yourself, aren't you?" Martha asked.

Harry nodded, before he gently reached over and embraced Sakura. "Sakura…Rin and your mother know about what was done to you. That…_monster_ who dared to call himself your father tried to take away their memories after they heard his confession, because they think what was done to you is wrong. I can call them if you like, their memories have been restored."

"…Not yet," Sakura says after some thought, shaking her head. "I…I just…" Her breath caught in her throat, before she said, "…I don't want them to see me like this…I…"

Harry just held her as she began to sob. Unexpectedly, he was joined by another. Jeanne had entered the little dining room without him noticing, and was currently embracing Sakura as well. "…You survived your ordeal, Sakura," Jeanne said quietly. "If even a tenth of what I heard about Crest Worms are true, then you have shown far more strength and fortitude than even many of the men I have commanded in life, even by just surviving it. Never consider yourself weak or unworthy of your mother or sister's attentions. Instead, consider yourself strong to have survived such things, in spite of what those monsters did to you. Your father for discarding you, and that abomination Zouken Matou for subjecting you to this. Never think you have no value, for why would we, strangers to your family, bother to try and rescue you? Maybe…that's why I am an Avenger. I do not just avenge wrongs against me…but against others. I will seek vengeance on your behalf, Sakura. I promise."

Sakura didn't reply to such a dark vow. She just sat there, weeping, embraced by those who rescued her. Harry knew, with a strange clarity, that she was afraid that this was a fragile dream, one which would rupture and let the nightmarish reality back in.

And it was, in a way. Rescuing Sakura was only half the battle. Keeping her away from Zouken Matou and Tokiomi Tohsaka was the other. But Harry knew that he would fight to give Sakura a new life. This, he vowed…

**CHAPTER 16 ANNOTATIONS:**

**Well, a quiet moment, for now. But for how long?**

**BTW, did Glen Mackenzie actually meet EMIYA? Well, let's face it, he might just have enough time while summoned by Alaya to drown his sorrows…**

**Review-answering time! ****EmeraldGuardian7****: While Gilles' death was indeed a little anticlimactic (as will another Servant's death in an upcoming chapter), I actually think that Gilles serves very little purpose in moving the story on. He didn't serve much purpose save for an obstacle in canon, and in this story, he's already served his purpose to act as a major catalyst for Jalter's character development. That being said, you are correct, and I addressed that with a quick rewrite to this chapter where Harry is trying not to think about it, in case he starts blaming himself. And don't worry, we will get some Harry/Jalter interaction towards some romance (of an admittedly distorted sort) in the next chapter.**

**HolyKnight5****: Not consciously. He just views them as useful distractions and, if not allies, then at least someone who won't oppose him until the later stages of the Grail War. Of course, once all is said and done, they will help him regarding Illya.**

**Dragon Man 180****: I think Diarmuid would resist that as much as he can. Keep in mind that he had to run off with his liege's wife when she forced a geas on him, so he'd probably lay down the law to Sola-Ui, as he did in canon. In ****_Cerberus_**** by Jaenerya Targaryen, once the Grail War is over, and she thinks she has her little boy toy for life, he uses the magic-negating spear on her Command Seals as she sleeps and allows himself to fade back to the Throne of Heroes. And while Sola-Ui may be obsessed with Diarmuid, she's not wholly stupid, and if she uses a Command Seal to basically rape him, he'd probably turn on her, or else refuse to follow her commands, so she'd probably use persuasion and rhetoric to at least get him to follow her commands.**

**Guest**** (regarding Kiritsugu and Skelegrow): Holy shit, I didn't think of that. Then again, maybe he doesn't know how to make his Origin Rounds. They are explicitly stated to have been created by his mentor Natalia, though she herself may have sourced them from someone else (the process of making them, specifically).**

**Tortillacrumbs****: Thank you for your rebuttal to rantingbanshee. I would also like to add that Harry would be best at countering Masters. In fact, he proves himself very useful in that regard in the next chapter, when Kariya and Lancelot attack, as his actions are key to victory.**

**FluffySheepLion****: True, and I actually debated with myself whether to have Kiritsugu reveal this. However, he decided to tell Harry for a few reasons. The first is that Harry wants to see Tokiomi humiliated and crippled, if not dead, and Kiritsugu, who, despite Jalter's earlier actions against Maiya, has some regard for Harry. He recognises a fellow child soldier, as it were, someone like him or Maiya, and wanted to let Harry know that Tokiomi would not be leaving the Grail War alive, or at least with his magic. **

**Secondly, I believe that Kiritsugu's Origin Rounds are, if not widely known across the Moonlit World, then rumoured. Although Kayneth knew nothing about them, Kirei's actions during his fight against Kiritsugu (specifically using Command Seals to temporarily empower his Black Keys so that they'd act as shields) suggest that he had heard about the Origin Rounds, either through rumour, Tokiomi's intelligence gathering, or through Assassin listen in on Kayneth and Sola-Ui discussing the effects of the Origin Round he suffered. Given Tokiomi's contacts, I actually believe the second option to be the case. **

**Also, just because Harry ****_knows_**** how Origin Rounds work doesn't necessarily mean he can ****_defend_**** against them. Given Kiritsugu's lack of ammunition (by the time ****_Fate/Zero_**** begins, he has 29 such bullets left out of the original 66, though not a single bullet had been wasted to that point), he is very careful about how he uses them. This is reflected by how he fights Lord Yellow-Mellow, as he provokes his opponent into pouring as much magic as possible into his Volumen Hydragyrum before using it. And Origin Rounds are far from his only trump card, as he uses a lot of mundane weaponry, and he guesses, somewhat correctly, that Harry is not at a level where he can shield himself from gunfire easily, instead relying on agility to dodge. He needs to be able to hit his opponent with the Origin Round in the first place, so I imagine that Kiritsugu would use it as a surprise attack or an ambush.**

**Finally, Kiritsugu has shown Harry the bullet. He hasn't shown Harry the gun he fires it from. If he catches Harry off-guard, he might be able to hit Harry with a shot from the Origin Round before Harry even realises what he's done. And he hasn't told Harry about his Time Alter magic. Kiritsugu still has a lot of cards to play.**

**No numbered annotations this time.**


	18. Chapter 17: Things Worth Fighting For

**CHAPTER 17:**

**THINGS WORTH FIGHTING FOR**

Zouken Matou, born the Russian Magus Zolgen Makiri, was not a nice person. This was, admittedly, something of an understatement. He was, in fact, an utterly evil person…assuming, of course, that a vile revenant practically composed of a hive of insects and worms actually counted as a person. In truth, he ceased being even remotely human in morals and mindset a long time ago.

Case in point, this current Grail War. He'd all but given up hope of his family participating, save, perhaps, through a proxy like the von Einzberns had done. But then, the black sheep of the family came back, having learned of the former Tohsaka girl being adopted to them. Oh, the look on his face when he learned of Sakura being in the worm pit was delicious. But the desperate fool was so eager to save the girl from her plight, despite the fact that Tokiomi had knowingly agreed to this, that he offered to become a Master in this Grail War.

Zouken took great delight in torturing him with the Crest Worms. Not as much as he enjoyed violating Sakura with them, true, but Zouken was a man who could appreciate many joys. Kariya's desperation to rescue Sakura when she had already been discarded by Tokiomi was delicious, and Zouken also knew that Kariya had a thing for Aoi Tohsaka, née Zenjou, and was probably hoping that Sakura being rescued would allow him to bed her. Of course, the fact that Kariya ran out on the family had a lot to do with Zouken's appreciation of his pain. Spite repaid was so attractive a scent. Then again, that was another reason he adopted Sakura Tohsaka into the family. Zelretch had chosen Nagato Tohsaka as his apprentice nearly two centuries ago, and Zouken held a grudge, against the Tohsakas if not against Zelretch. Holding a grudge against the Wizard Marshall was dangerous, even if you didn't voice your mutinous thoughts out loud. Zelretch was, after all, often a bad example of 'speak of the devil, and he shall…'

Oh _shit_, was he behind him now? Oh good, false alarm…he hoped.

Anyway, the main reason Zouken went along with the proposal was that, either way, he got what he wanted. Kariya would die in agony as the Crest Worms ate him from the inside out, Sakura would stay under his thumb and become a potential vessel for his soul (promises to fools had no validity(1)), and if Kariya managed to get him the Grail, then all the better. Win-win, as the plebeians said.

And yet…things had gone wrong. Tokiomi had notified him, discreetly, about some unknown Magus who had the ability to transform into a snake. Zouken had noticed a rather large snake infiltrating the manor, but had left it alone. It seemed that that was potentially unwise.

Zouken had used his own familiars to try and track this unknown Magus down, deciding not to notify Kariya. He had guessed that this Magus was the one responsible for that Avenger version of Jeanne d'Arc, and the fact that she sent Kariya's Berserker, Lancelot du Lac in a maddened form, packing was certainly amusing, if a little concerning. He'd also witnessed the meeting between Caster and Avenger with interest. It wasn't until the next day that he saw Avenger with the Magus who matched Tokiomi's descriptions.

He decided that, if the boy was competent, then he'd let him try to take Sakura, and then have Kariya and Berserker chase them down. Hopefully, one or both Servants would die, and one or both Masters would too. If Kariya died, then Zouken would notify Tokiomi and watch the fireworks.

Unfortunately, Zouken hadn't counted on Caster and his Master, though to be frank, he only allowed the two to take Sakura because he wanted to break Sakura's will further. His surveillance on Caster showed that Sakura was under no immediate danger, with Caster offering some rather heartening praise towards the author of her pain. A disgusting, small-minded madman, but he had good taste, at least, and Zouken had to give Gilles de Rais that much. Disgusting and wasteful he was, but he and his Master, while petty, had _style_.

But now, near the von Einzbern castle, disaster. Avenger, Saber and Rider worked together to kill Caster, with Caster's Master found and killed by Assassin some hours afterwards, possibly on that hypocritical old fool Risei Kotomine's orders. Sakura was now out of his hands, and he couldn't find where. Even though he was sure they were hiding out with Rider's Master, that pathetic little student Waver Velvet, he couldn't remember where that place was, despite the fact that he was certain that he knew where it was until very recently.

He, of course, told Kariya an edited form of what happened, leaving out the fact that the Potter boy wanted to rescue Sakura. Why should he? Better to set them against each other. With any luck, he would get Sakura back, Kariya would die or be weakened, and one of the more annoying contenders in this Grail War would be dead. Zouken grinned viciously, knowing that he always got what he desired. All he had to do was wait…

* * *

One crisis was over for now. With Caster dead and Sakura in their custody, Harry felt that they could take a breather for now. Which was why they were, at least for now, heading to a nearby park. That was, Harry and Jeanne, as they felt they needed to get away from the increasingly-crowded Mackenzie household.

On Jeanne's insistence, he took a vial with Volumen Hydragyrum in it with him. It may not be much against a Servant, but it was better than nothing. The enchanted mercury had a basic awareness, on a par with a simply computer program, though Jeanne felt it did have an animal's intelligence at least.

As they reached the park, Jeanne indicated a bench underneath a gazebo, and they both sat down, Harry erecting a Privacy Charm. Sirius had taught him how. "…You know, I didn't pick you for being a park person, Jeanne."

"Neither would I. I just needed somewhere a bit less claustrophobic to get to grips with things," she said.

"With Gilles' death?"

"I don't regret actually killing him, given what he became. It was being made into someone capable of killing him so readily. I know that if I was the saint still, I probably would have dithered, or else would be angsting about it a lot more. He somehow made me this way, I'm sure of it," Jeanne said. "Whether he did so deliberately, or the Grail itself heard his desires and made them a reality, I don't know. The thing is, with Sakura now in our hands…what next?"

"…That's the question. Do you have a wish for the Grail?"

"…No. Or rather, I don't have any single wish that I can't achieve myself. I guess if I had a wish…it would be to make myself sane. Or rather…less like a patchwork doll. Oh, I am violent and vicious and murderous, I will not change that. Even if that was what Gilles wanted, it feels like I should have been like this after the English had me burned alive. But there are parts of me that haunt me. Though perhaps using the Grail is…how would you say it? Like using a sledgehammer to crack a walnut. If anything…my only reason for staying in this Grail War is to ensure Sakura is safe…and to punish Tokiomi Tohsaka and Zouken Matou for what they did. Or maybe I just want to win the Grail to spite our opponents. What do you have to say to that?"

"…I don't know, honestly," Harry admitted. "Ever since I summoned you, had someone to talk to…I think a lot of my own mental problems have gone away. Oh, they're still there, but…they've been lessened. But I think one thing I still have left over from my time in Azkaban is that I'm more flexible with my morals. As long as you don't kill or hurt unnecessarily, well…and Jeanne, thank you for stopping Caster."

Jeanne nodded. "…That means a lot to me. That…monster was not the real Gilles, not the one I fought alongside. Perhaps he held some darkness even then, but…if he willingly allowed his soul to be corrupted like that…never mind." She seemed to consider something, before observing, "You have Sakura now. If you forfeited your rights as a Master, you could potentially leave Fuyuki and might be able to find refuge away from the Tohsakas and the Matous. Even persuade Zelretch to send you back home."

"…Which has what left for me now? Only a few friends, really," Harry said. "If I turned up again, they'd just give me the Dementor's Kiss. I'd love to go back for revenge…but I'd have to go after so many in the Ministry of Magic and Gringotts…I'd just be proving their point that I'm a monster in the making. Besides…why the hell would I abandon you?" He looked at her. "You saved my life from Gilles. You showed that you were better than he was. You are a good and decent person, Jeanne, despite your temper, despite your murderous tendencies. Whatever Gilles or the Grail or whoever created you did, you are a good person. I'm not going to abandon you."

Jeanne seemed shocked by his proclamation. "But…if you don't have any desire for the Grail…why would you stay with me? By taking Sakura, you've painted a big target on your back, and you need to find a way to get the hell out of this Grail War."

"Jeanne, you were betrayed by the very king you fought for, despite you saving his worthless arse, just as I was by Magical Britain. Do you expect me to do the same thing to you?"

Her golden eyes blinked, glistening suspiciously. "Are you suicidal?"

"A Gryffindor, which pretty much amounts to the same thing. Besides…Hermione told me I have a saving people thing. And while I think Dumbledore wanted me to save those who didn't deserve saving too much…including the people who betrayed me…well, I think you're worth saving. Even if someone didn't save you at the pyre, even if you're a fiction, a dark and twisted fiction…I believe you are worth it."

She looked at him incredulously, before suddenly, she lunged, pressing her lips to his own, embracing him. Her tongue invaded his mouth, much to his absolute surprise, and she moaned huskily. She tasted smoky and bitter, but not in a bad way. It was like dark chocolate.

And then, just as suddenly, she stopped, breaking off, blushing heavily, a blush he knew was mirrored on his own cheeks. "_Qu'est-ce que c'est que cette merde?_" she asked, apparently of herself, before turning away, embarrassed. "…I don't know what came over me. I just…couldn't help myself. Worth saving, indeed…you moron." She then shot him anxious glances. "…Umm, did you like it?"

"…It was a bit sudden, but yeah," Harry said, shooting her what he thought was an encouraging smile. "For someone called the Holy Virgin in life, you sure can kiss."

"_Ta gueule_," she retorted, but it had no venom in it. Not with the slight, embarrassed smile touching her own lips. "…Don't get me wrong, I did kiss a few boys in my village, but…yeah." Suddenly, she stiffened. "…Harry. Get Volumen Hydragyrum out."

Harry did as he was bidden, pouring out the enchanted mercury. "_Fervor, mei sanguis_," he murmured, as Jeanne had told him, as she assumed it was an activation phrase. The blob quivered with life. "…Umm…can you protect me?"

The blob quivered in a way that, Harry hoped, suggested an affirmative. "What's wrong, Jeanne?" Harry asked.

"I sense something…not a Servant, but…" She looked up, and Harry followed her gaze to see a grotesque insect with an eye looking at them. He pulped it instantly with a Cutting Curse, but she shook her head. "It's a familiar, and I think it's been there for some time. Long enough for someone to get a bead on us."

"…It must be Zouken Matou, or Kariya," Harry said. "I remember seeing insects like that inside the Matou manor. But they can't be intending to force a confrontation here, are they?"

"Look around at the rest of the park," Jeanne said. Harry did so, and grimaced. The park, which had a few people here and there, was now deserted. "Someone's set up a Bounded Field. It's keeping people away and from seeing anything…MERDE!" With that, she picked him up and threw him out of the gazebo, and he distantly heard the gazebo explode even as he rolled to a stop on the lawn.

"JEANNE!" Harry yelled at the wreckage, only to realise that a figure he only knew from Jeanne's description was perched on top of it. The figure of a knight in pitch black armour, wreathed in dark mist. The baleful red glow in the visor was now glaring at him.

"Now, now, Berserker," chided a pained rasp of a voice. "We need him alive, to tell us where Sakura is." Harry found himself hauled to his feet and slammed against a nearby tree, grimacing in pain. "So, _start talking!_"

Harry grimaced, before opening his eyes. His assailant was a lanky man, his face just visible beneath the hood of his hoodie. It had been handsome once, but now looked prematurely aged, pale, framed by a shock of white hair, with one side of the face drooping like a stroke victim's, the eye on that side milky white.

But he recognised the man instantly, having seen him in the Matou manor, being infested by Crest Worms. "…Kariya Matou," he said. "You know, if you wanted to know where Sakura is, you could've just asked."

"DON'T FUCKING PLAY GAMES WITH ME!" Kariya roared into his face, the skin on the wasted side of his face rippling as _something_ crawled beneath the surface. "Caster took her, and then you kidnapped her! To use as leverage against me! Well, it won't work against me, you twisted bastard! You will give her back to me, or I will…"

Harry had had enough, kicking out and hitting Kariya hard in the groin. As the deranged Master staggered back, clutching at his genitals, Harry followed it up with a Banishing Charm, sending Kariya crashing into a tree. "You stupid bastard…I intended to rescue Sakura and bring her back to her mother and daughter, and you think _I'm_ the bad guy?" Harry demanded angrily.

Kariya got shakily to his feet, with clouds of vicious-looking insects filling the air around him, both with their bodies and an aggressive droning buzz. Meanwhile, Berserker was roaring, looking as if it intended to launch itself at Harry from the wrecked gazebo, only for the wreckage to suddenly disintegrate in a blast of flame, sending the dark knight flying.

"**_ALLER SE FAIRE ENCULER!_**" screamed the familiar voice of Jeanne as she burst from the inferno in her armour. "**_I WILL SODOMISE YOU WITH A STAKE, YOU_**** CONNARD!**" As Berserker got to its feet, Jeanne rushed him, sending blasts of fire and dark metal stakes firing at it. It dodged them at first, only for Harry to fire a Cutting Curse at a distracted Kariya's hand, the one marked with the Command Seals, pulping it, causing the Magus to scream in pain. Berserker faltered, only for a stake to suddenly ram into it from behind. Jeanne then viciously stabbed Berserker with La Pucelle, causing the knight to roar a warbling roar of pain as it was engulfed in flames.

Jeanne then roared "**_LE GRONDEMENT DE LA HAINE!_**" The dark knight was soon engulfed in more flames, and then impaled on stakes. More and more stakes jabbed through the Berserker, more and more flames burned at it…before finally, it went limp. So too did Kariya, who vomited up blood, filled with wriggling things, and collapsed to the ground, the insects dissolving with his collapse.

As the stakes dropped the smoking form of the Berserker to the ground, Harry used Incarcerous to tie up Kariya in magically-conjured ropes. "No…no…" he said, even as he looked at Berserker, who was struggling to get to its hands and knees, even as blue particles of mana began wafting from its form. "He can't be dying, not yet…_I haven't saved her!_"

"She didn't **_need_** saving, you stupid, pathetic little _connard_," Jeanne said, spitting on the ground, walking over to Berserker. "So…who are you?"

A bitter chuckle, a more human thing than the flanging warbling roar it had emitted before, came from the knight, even as it tore the helmet from its head. "…I think the better question is…who are you?" came the tired, weary voice of the man revealed. He was a beautiful, melancholy-looking man with long tresses of dark purple hair. "You looked so much like my liege…in my madness. Like King Arthur…no, Arturia. Tell me…what is your name?"

"Jeanne d'Arc. Well, someone's twisted idea of her."

"…Ah." The knight struggled to his feet. "Well met, Maid of Orleans. I am…was Lancelot du Lac. Jeanne…I am dying before I fulfilled my purpose in the Grail War. However, I ask of you some boons, ones that should be well within your ability to grant."

"I will consider them."

"Firstly…if you do truly have Sakura in your custody, then allow this man to see her one last time, if nothing else. Secondly…permit a knight a selfish request, for you to pass a message to my King. She…is here, isn't she?"

Jeanne nodded. "And what is that message?"

"…That I wish she had punished me more for my affair with Guinevere," Lancelot admitted. "That I had desired her judgement in anger. Perhaps if that had happened…perhaps I may not have walked down the path to madness. Perhaps I would not have sought death at her hands to expiate my sins. But tell her this also. Arturia was the greatest of all kings. All who followed her thought so. Please…grant me this boon."

Jeanne turned her back to the fading knight, only to finally say, "I promise."

"…Thank you." And with that, he faded away.

"No…no no no no NOOOO!" Kariya screamed, twisting against the ropes. Tears flowed from his eyes. "I haven't saved her! I…" And then, he coughed up another gout of blood, filled with stuff that _wriggled_.

Harry went over to him. He was almost tempted to kill the man right now, given that the man had just wanted to kill them, and he knew Jeanne wanted to. He held up a halting hand to Jeanne, just to be sure. Her growl of annoyance told him he knew what she intended, despite her words to Lancelot. Instead, he said, coldly, "I already saved her from Caster, you stupid bastard. I intended to make sure she would go back to only the family that cared about her. Rin and Aoi. They didn't know about the Crest Worms…but Tokiomi did. And he took their memories from them. So, instead of trying to find out the truth, you attacked me. Maybe I should leave you to rot without seeing her again."

"No…please…I'm begging you…" Kariya coughed up more blood. "…If you really are trying to save her…please…bring me to her one last time…"

Harry was a bit dubious. The man had tried to kill him. And yet…that was the only reason he fought in the Grail War. True, if he had talked the man down, he could have had an ally to fight against Tokiomi and Archer, but Kariya was unwilling to listen, and Harry needed to stop him quickly.

Harry then looked at Jeanne. "Go and get Sirius. Get him to bring Sakura here, okay?"

Jeanne looked dubious, but she eventually nodded, Astralizing as she left. And Harry was left alone with a man who could have been his greatest ally, if things were different. Unfortunately, it was not to be…

**CHAPTER 17 ANNOTATIONS:**

**So, Harry and Jalter are growing closer, only to be cockblocked by a couple of gooseberries. Goddammit, Zouken, this is why we can't have nice things.**

**Now, Jalter's kiss…well, she did so on a massive impulse, given what Harry said to her. In spite of everything, when he was kind to her, she basically thanked him with a kiss on sheer impulse. Given her mental state and the fact that, as an Avenger and as a darker form of Jeanne, she's also guided more by her emotions and instincts at times. So being told she is worth helping actually touched her.**

**As for Kariya…well, as much as I would like for him to cooperate with Harry and Jalter, I thought about how his character would react, realistically, to Zouken telling him that Sakura has been kidnapped by a rival Master. He'd go in guns blazing. One thing that the manga is better at than in the anime (not enough for me to say you should read it) is that it's closer to the light novel and offers more insight into the characters. Kariya is a pretty bitter, twisted and resentful guy who, while his overt intentions are noble, he has one hell of an inferiority complex and despises anyone who he thinks looks down on him. So, if Sakura is being threatened, and Zouken tells him where she is, what would he do? Plus, he wants to bang Aoi. His intentions beneath the whole 'rescue Sakura' thing are not so noble.**

**Can Jalter beat Lancelot? Well, at first glance, it'd be hard won. I had a quick look at the relevant stats, and while neither is any slouch, Lancelot seems to have a bit of an edge. In fact, I actually wrote in Harry pulping Kariya's hand with the Command Seals while he was distracted to justify Jalter having an opening to finish Lancelot off. Also, Kariya was using mana himself to prepare to fight Harry, so Lancelot wasn't getting as much as he was at the docks.**

**As much of a boon as Lancelot would have been to fight Gilgamesh, Kariya's impulsiveness hindered that, and besides, this may work out later on down the track. Given Lancelot's tendency to mistake Saberfaces for Arturia, I think he would have been a liability more than an asset.**

**Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Unfortunately, it will be the last one for a while, as I've pretty much burned myself out on writing this story for the moment. However, when the next chapter comes out, we have the reunion of Sakura and Kariya.**

**Review-answering time! ****Dragon Man 180****: Actually, the Hundred-Faced Hassan actually ****_does_**** have a child body (though that wasn't the one used to kill him). In fact, originally, she was going to accompany Waver and Iskandar for part of the original story, as they believed she was one of Gilles' victims, and she had lost her memory of being part of Assassin. Only when Kirei ordered Assassin to attack the Grail Dialogue would she remember, though Iskandar knew who she was. Gen Urobuchi removed that subplot because he thought it would further confuse who the main character was, though as mentioned before, I consider Waver to be one of the three protagonists of ****_Fate/Zero_****. **

**There's actually a couple of sweet moments in GhostXavier's ****_Fate/Grand Order_**** fics revolving around that Child Assassin, whom they dub 'Yedda'. In ****_Fragment 70: Who Am I Now?_****, the chapter revolving around Hundred-Face in ****_Fragments of Chaldea_****, Hundred-Face brings out Yedda to play with the other kids as part of Hundred-Face's acceptance of their split personalities. King Hassan approves, and even gives Yedda leave to call him 'Grandpa', though he promptly threatens mainstream Hundred-Face, Serenity and Cursed Arm with execution if they dare call him Grandpa. In ****_Shard 3: Hidden Warmth_**** of ****_The Lost Shards_****, Yedda and King Hassan share a moment, before King Hassan offers to buy ice cream, of all things.**

**Tergeo****: I actually put some thought into this long before I conceived of this story. Given how Potterverse fanon had wizards having a magical core as opposed to magic circuits, I had this notion that shooting a Potterverse wizard with an Origin Round would basically turn their core into a balloon animal, albeit temporarily, as the pressure from the core being constricted and confined like that would end up with a rupture. In fact, in one story I was writing before I discarded it (it later became ****_Love and War_****), I had Draco getting shot by one in the backstory, and the effect of the Origin Round is considerably more spectacular, as the core rupture causes a physical rupture. Basically, Draco exploded…and in a rather messy way. Rather like Krest from ****_Licence to Kill_****. Only, parts of Draco turned into ferret.**

**EmeraldGuardian7****: Sakura DOES have Crest Worms in her already (****_Fate/Zero_**** makes it clear that she's had them in her for over a year before the Grail War proper begins), but AFAIK, Zouken doesn't put his phylactery Crest Worm into her until after the events of ****_Fate/Zero_****. He may have, but most fanfics indicate he did this at the same time or after he infused her with the remnants of the Lesser Grail, and there's nothing in canon to contradict that AFAIK. I think he wanted to ensure that she was broken and thus would be easier to take control of as a vessel. Here, the Crest Worms act as a particularly vile Magic Crest, but there's no Angra Mainyu or Zouken tainting it. Cold comfort to Sakura and her fans, but she will avoid that fate.**

**ZLC genesmith****: I honestly don't know whether that purification ritual would do it. Yes, it affects Zouken in the ****_Heaven's Feel_**** route, but that's because he's a vile and monstrous thing that's pretty much a vampire, and only avoids being hunted down as such on a technicality. Kariya will remind them about the Crest Worms in Sakura and their effects (the worst of their effects, AFAIK, doesn't happen until after she hits puberty), though, and it may be that Kirei and Risei may help remove them, even if it's through surgery rather than through a ritual. In fact, that's what they do in Lord Mendasuit's oneshot ****_Kariya Has An Idea_****. Hmm, something to keep in mind…**

**Guest**** (regarding the Killing Curse working on Zouken): That's a very interesting question. Harry does indeed kill Zouken using the Killing Curse in my story ****_Ex Umbra in Solem_****, but I think that it would only work if you got the Crest Worm that actually contains his soul, the phylactery or Horcrux, if you will. I generally go for the interpretation that it blasts the soul from the body, though I've used the 'stops all biological activity' variation a couple of times (like with my ****_Red vs Blue_**** crossover ****_Freelancer, Medic, Mage_****).**

**1\. This is actually my paraphrasing of a similar line from ****_Doctor Who: The Five Doctors_****. The Cyberleader and Cyber-Lieutenant are discussing the trustworthiness of the Master, who has made a deal with him. They decide that, once they get what they want, they will kill him, as "****_Promises to aliens have no validity_****". Unfortunately, the Master is considerably more wilier than them: he kills them with a booby-trapped giant chessboard in their destination, the Tomb of Rassilon, though he kills off the Cyberleader with a blaster taken from one of his own underlings…**


	19. Chapter 18: Promises

**CHAPTER 18:**

**PROMISES**

Harry walked over to Kariya, and knelt down next to the man. Some instinct had told Harry that, with Berserker, no, _Lancelot_ dead, he was a broken man. True, he had seen the man before, undergoing that horrible torture that masqueraded as training by being infested by those damned worms, but still…

He only distantly realised that Volumen Hydragyrum was slithering towards him, having managed to break free of the wreckage of the gazebo. Absently, he said, "Stay." The mercury blob did so. He then began tearing strips from Kariya's sleeve, wrapping it around the stump of his hand, to try and stop or at least slow the bleeding.

Kariya looked up at him, blood drooling from his lips. "…Why? Why do you care about Sakura?"

"…I met Rin. She…confided in me, said she was lonely without her younger sister. In case you're wondering why a seven year old girl would confide in a total stranger, well, I was transformed as a snake. A Basilisk, specifically. That's how I got into that shithole you call a home, too, and saw what was being done to you, and Sakura. I went and confronted Tokiomi about it, in front of Aoi and Rin." Harry showed him the burn scars. "That…didn't end well."

Kariya looked at the burn scars, before he chuckled bitterly. "And here I was thinking I was the only one with an axe to grind against him."

"You believe me?"

"Normally, I wouldn't. Transforming into an animal…well, I don't think Magi can do that normally. But…I know Zouken. That decrepit old worm would have loved to have set me on you for rescuing Sakura. I was just too pissed off to think straight. Aoi and Rin…did that bastard wipe their memories?"

"He _tried_. He succeeded with Aoi, but when the Overseer sent someone to confirm my allegations, he learned that Rin managed to resist."

Kariya chuckled again. "…She's a feisty one, Rin. Smart too. If Tokiomi found out his daughter resisted having her memory wiped, he'd be pissed. And proud, admittedly, but mainly pissed." He then began coughing up bloody wads of phlegm once more. "Ugh, it hurts to laugh. Huh. Someone other than me cared about Sakura. Go figure. Aoi…how did she take the news?"

"Not well, according to the Overseer."

"Hmm. I couldn't tell her. If Zouken learned I blabbed…well, it's a moot point now. I'm dying anyway."

"Is there any way I can help?"

"No. My training with these damned Crest Worms was hasty. In men, they're…"

"Parasites, yeah, I overheard Zouken's little lecture. But if I can do anything to cure you…"

"Even if you could remove them, the damage has already been done to me," Kariya said. "I'm…how do you Limeys put it? FUBAR. Fucked up beyond all repair."

Any further discussion on the matter was halted when Sirius, Jeanne and Sakura appeared with a whipcrack noise. "UNCLE KARIYA!" Sakura suddenly wailed in juvenile anger. "WHAT DID YOU DO TO HIM?!"

"Sakura!" Kariya snapped, even as Sirius came over to him and began using healing spells. Sakura's angry expression instantly transmuted into shock. "It's my fault. Your 'grandfather' told me you had been kidnapped by him. He deliberately didn't tell me these guys wanted to help you, so I charged right in. Besides, I get the feeling that, if he wanted to, he could've killed me, not just taken my Command Seals."

Sakura stared in, well, not quite disbelief, but certainly dismay. Jeanne grimaced. "So, Zouken Matou is gunning for us. Joy. Oi, mutt, what's the damage?"

"Aside from the missing hand?" Sirius asked. "Not good. You're right about the Crest Worms. There's severe damage to his nerves and organs." He looked at Kariya. "I'm sorry. I don't think I should say this in front of Sakura."

"No…say it. Sakura has experienced worse," Kariya rasped. "Let me guess…I only have a few weeks left to live?"

"A fortnight at most. I did a check over of Sakura. Unlike you, her Crest Worms are in quiet symbiosis, but…with you…I healed whatever damage I could."

Kariya nodded. He shakily got to his feet. "Thanks. And not just for that. Thanks for helping Sakura. About time someone cared. So, Aoi and Rin know, and they're not happy?"

"According to the Overseer," Harry said. "He sent his son over to check. I told you this."

"Right. And he's not happy either?"

"God, no," Harry said. "He used to be friends with Tokiomi. Now, he isn't."

"…Heh. And here I was thinking that priest was in too deep with Tokiomi. I guess he has principles after all." Kariya grimaced. "Berserker's dead. I need to get to the church, as I'm sure Zouken will punish me for my failure if I went back there. Sakura's away from that old worm and from Tokiomi, and I hope you'll keep it that way. Can't say that I'm satisfied, but it's better than it could have been. Just promise me one thing. Well, two things. Firstly, keep Sakura away from Tokiomi and Zouken. Secondly…make them pay."

"I'm an Avenger," Jeanne said. "Revenge is kind of my thing…"

* * *

Harry and Jeanne gave Kariya and Sakura some distance to let them have a talk, with Sirius patrolling the perimeter. "So, what do we do?" Jeanne asked. "I'm all for marching over to the Matou manor and setting it on fire."

"There's a couple of innocents…well, relative innocents there," Harry said. "Kariya's drunk brother Byakuya, and his son, Shinji, plus a few servants. Lower case 's' servants. Our main target would be Zouken. Besides, even if you set everything on fire, who's to say he wouldn't have enough time to flee?"

"We still need to do something about him. Something as vile as him does not deserve to exist any longer in this world," Jeanne sneered. "I don't know who is worse: Gilles or Zouken. Then again, given how old Zouken probably is, he's been doing this for decades if not centuries. In addition, even if he doesn't have a Servant, he's clearly dangerous, both magically and psychologically. He played Kariya like a fiddle, and while I doubt that was hard to do, given the circumstances, who's to say he isn't more than capable of similar manipulation?"

"You have a point. Personally, I'm wondering whether we should get Emiya in on it. He's infamous as the Magus Killer, after all, and he seemed to despise what Zouken did to Sakura."

"He also is a pragmatist, only getting involved if need be," Jeanne pointed out. "He seems like the sort of person who doesn't normally make allies. He only went along with killing Caster because it was expedient and we had Rider on our side. Killing off Lancer's Master was just icing on the cake." She then slapped her head in sudden realisation. "_Merde_, I just realised something."

"What?"

"By killing Caster and Berserker in quick succession, along with the Master of Lancer, we've painted one hell of a big target on ourselves, even with this whole saga with Sakura. Kirei may not actively use Assassin to target us, and Kiritsugu might just use us as decoys to draw out the other Servants instead of coming after us actively, but that still means we have Archer and Lancer coming for us. The only real good thing is that Rider is still a good ally to have, as much as I hate his guts."

"Fair enough. Though I don't like the thought of any more of them gunning for us," Harry said. "By the way, thanks for saving me earlier."

"I'm your Servant. Even though technically I can exist without your mana as an Avenger, I'd prefer not to do that. Besides…I actually like you, despite myself. Or didn't that kiss clue you in?"

Harry smiled. "I suppose. For a former saint, you're a damned good kisser."

Jeanne scoffed at his words, even as she smiled a little. "Besides, you handled yourself well against Kariya. Weak though he was, he wasn't a pushover, and his Servant was strong, so you won pretty well and pragmatically, without having to kill him. You showed yourself to be, if not strong, then knowing how to win, even if you're still too soft-hearted for my liking. If you have to fight, fight smart and fight dirty."

"Maybe. I'll definitely have to fight dirty to win against someone like Tokiomi, to say nothing of that priest or Emiya," Harry said, not relishing the thought of fighting either Kirei or Emiya. Tokiomi, he wanted payback from, especially given the burn scars on his arm, to say nothing of Sakura's treatment.

At least he knew what to look out for. Tokiomi used his jewel-topped pimp cane as a focus, and from what he remembered from Rin's talks with him, the Tohsakas specialised in using Jewelcraft magic, storing up magic in jewels and gems. Maybe Kariya knew something more.

He went over to Kariya, who was finishing up saying his piece to Sakura. "…And stay brave, Sakura," he said, his lugubrious smile made crooked by the wasted condition of his face, before he looked up. "…Look, for what it's worth, sorry I listened to Zouken first."

"It's fine. I'm sorry I had to take your hand. But…I was wondering, do you know much about Tokiomi's magecraft? I mean, beyond him using a jewel-topped cane to set things on fire?"

"The Tohsakas do enchant gems to act as mana storehouses and preloaded spells," Kariya said. "I don't know that much, admittedly. Even I'm surprised Tokiomi uses his cane to set things on fire, but I shouldn't have been. I knew that walking stick had something going on. All part of his façade of _elegance_." Kariya grimaced. "Listen, I'm going to get your…godfather, was it? To help me get to the church. If the Overseer is no longer allied to Tokiomi, then I'm willing to seek sanctuary there. But Harry…you'd better make Tokiomi pay. Someone has to. And promise me that you'll ensure you keep Sakura safe."

"Kariya, I'd rather die than let her go back to anything that can hurt her like Zouken or Tokiomi did. But I'd rather make sure anyone else dies."

Sirius nodded, before handing Harry a length of rope. "Harry, Sakura, Avenger, hold onto this, and say, 'Home, James' to activate it. Oh, but what about your mercury guard dog? Should I feel jealous?"

Harry frowned, before he got out the flask, thankfully unbroken. The Volumen Hydragyrum seemed to understand the gesture, for it seemed to leap into the flask, filling it up. He then looked at Kariya. "Hopefully, you'll get to see her again once this is over."

"I'm not holding my breath," Kariya said sadly.

* * *

Once they got back to the Mackenzies, Harry went out to the backyard with Sakura, while Jeanne brought the Mackenzies and Waver up to speed. For some reason, Iskandar was absent. "I'm sorry I hurt your Uncle Kariya. But…"

"I know. Grandfather turned him against…"

"Sakura," Harry said, quietly but sharply. And when she looked at him with her dull violet eyes, he said, "Zouken Matou is not your grandfather, not by blood and certainly not by deed. No loving grandfather would do what he did to you. No loving father would do what Tokiomi did to you. But Kariya went through a lot to try and save you, not knowing I wanted to help too, and that's why we had that misunderstanding. And Rin and Aoi…once they realised what you went through…they still want to be your family. And I know what it's like to feel alone in the world. I can't promise that I can stop Zouken Matou. But…I will give it my best shot. Because you are worth it. Never believe otherwise. _Never_."

"And Uncle Kariya?"

"Hopefully, the Overseer will keep him safe. If he's still alive once we've won, we'll go see him, okay?"

Sakura nodded morosely. It was at that point that Waver and Jeanne entered the backyard. "So, how is she?" Waver asked.

"Coping as best as she can under the circumstances," Harry said. "By the way, where's Iskandar?"

"I don't know. He went off while you had gone to the park with Jeanne with some of Sirius' money," Waver said with a grimace of annoyance. "Said something about needing something for a battle tonight. Sirius persuaded him to take some money to get it instead of just stealing it."

"Stealing it?" Harry asked.

"Shortly after I summoned him, he had me take him to the local library," Waver groaned. "He then came out with an atlas and a copy of Homer's works. He claims there's a difference between being a thief and a conquering king, but I think at times the only difference is scale."

"Yes, that's it," Jeanne said grimly. "To be frank, there's only two reasons I'm bothering to team up with him. The first is that he's a powerful Servant, and an alliance with him is prudent. And the second…well, you're his Master. I kind of feel sorry for you. You're not a warrior, you're a scholar. But Iskandar was right about one thing. As wimpy as you are, you still rode out into the thick of it with him. Well, he probably dragged you along, but still…you came with us to face Kiritsugu Emiya, a boogeyman of Magi from what I know. You had the ba…I mean the conviction to write up a thesis that would shake up the status quo of Magi society, even knowing it'd probably not be well-received. You just need toughening up, physically and psychologically. And for all the fact that he was just a thief of a large scale, Iskandar achieved all that by the age of 30. You're what, 19? I had already become famous and got burned at the stake by your age. Harry here has killed off a warlock, as you probably know from Sirius. And you can do that too. Just surviving a Grail War, especially when your tosser of a teacher didn't, will be pretty good."

"Oh God," Waver muttered, putting his face in his hands. "The Archibalds won't be happy with this."

Harry shrugged. "So? Sola-Ui said something about a bratty and smart cousin who's only a kid or something."

"Reines Archisorte, and yes, I know of her by reputation."

"We'll figure something out, Waver," Harry said.

Before anything else could be said, Iskandar came through into the backyard, hefting a massive barrel. Jeanne looked askance at the Rider Servant. "What's in the barrel that you need for battle tonight?" she asked.

"Wine."

"…_What_."

"_Wine_. I do not intend to do battle tonight with weapons, but rather with wine and words!" Iskandar said proudly.

Jeanne, Harry, Waver, and even Sakura exchanged bemused glances. What insane scheme had Iskandar concocted now? And what would it do to them?

**CHAPTER 18 ANNOTATIONS:**

**What indeed? Next chapter (I dunno when it'll be out) will be the Grail Dialogue, but with a few interesting changes.**

**Review-answering time! ****Lad Lad****: Harry/Spartacus? Please tell me you're joking. Even with a female Harry, I wouldn't write that. Maybe Harry having Spartacus as a Servant, but even that's unlikely. As a pairing, though? Yeah, I need brain bleach…**

**Tergeo****: Yes, the magical core IS a fanon concept, but it's one I have adopted for my stories, along with the whole symbiotic relationship House Elves have with their owners.**

**No numbered annotations this time.**


	20. Chapter 19: Unassuring and Reassuring

**CHAPTER 19:**

**UNASSURING AND REASSURING**

Risei felt his gorge rising in his throat as he watched his son administer to Kariya Matou. True, there was little they could do to stave off the man's demise, thanks to the actions of the Crest Worms. Kariya was still a young man, and yet, he now had a decrepit body that belonged on someone thrice his age. The fact that Crest Worms had a somewhat more symbiotic relationship within females was of little comfort to Risei, considering what they did to them anyway. He literally couldn't imagine what Sakura went through. To attempt to do so was abhorrent. And that only served to further inflame his anger towards his former friend, an anger Kariya shared.

After a moment, Kirei finished his ministrations. "I can do little more. My apologies. Even if we remove the Crest Worms surgically, always a tricky proposition in of itself, I doubt it will extend your lifespan by more than a week or two at most."

"That's fine," Kariya grimaced, sitting up on the pew he had been lying on as Kirei had looked him over, wincing in pain. "Sakura's out of Zouken and Tokiomi's grasp, at least for now, and hopefully forever. If I'm lucky, I'll live long enough to piss on Tokiomi's corpse. And if you quote some bloody Bible verse about forgiveness or turning the other cheek, so help me, I will use a curse on you."

"That would be unwise. I am the person ensuring your sanctuary in this Grail War, Kariya Matou," Risei said, frowning at the man's disrespect. "And I know better than to preach to those who are unreceptive to the Lord's word, anyway. I am not a proselytiser. I may give succour and comfort to those seeking it, but I try not to overdo the preaching."

"…Sorry. I'm just not in the best of moods. I'm worried that Tokiomi might be able to get her back. All he needs to do is tell that Archer of his to go fetch her, and…"

"I will promptly ignore him," came the by-now familiar sneering voice of Gilgamesh, who Deastralised, dressed in more casual clothes than they usually saw him in, with a white shirt and black trousers. "So, you are the Master of Berserker? Hmph. About the only truly impressive thing about you is your drive and masochism, to give yourself over to be riddled with such foul parasites, though I daresay at least some of your motives are intriguing."

Kariya blinked in understandable shock. "What the hell is Archer doing here?!" he demanded.

"Do not speak of me as if I am absent, _mongrel_," Gilgamesh sneered. "Your Berserker sullied my treasures with his grasping hands, and it is taking every ounce of my not inconsiderable restraint to not strike you down here and now, irrespective of the rules. Though at least you are more interesting than that bore of a Master I am saddled with. He seemed to think you were little to be concerned about, and while that was true, it wasn't in the way he thought it was. To answer your impertinent and insolent question, Tokiomi bores me, and as an Archer, I have the Independent Action class skill. In short, I may go further afield than most other Servants without having to worry about lacking mana. I am also aware that these two have found my Master's actions towards his daughter objectionable, and I happen to share those feelings, albeit for different reasons and to a lesser degree. Tokiomi has already used a Command Seal, when your armoured cur refused to die like he should have, to have me return. If he tried using another to force me to retrieve Sakura, then I would resist with ease, and he only has two. Once he squanders the three of them, then I am free to do as I will, and I am sorely tempted to kill him for his imprudence."

"…Why do you care about Sakura?" Kariya asked.

"Tokiomi did not search hard enough for another solution. Instead, despite knowing about the Crest Worms and what they'd do, he pounced upon the first offer he was given. Knowingly allowing his child to be infested with such foul things is something I refuse to ignore. Not, you must understand, because it correlates with any ideas you have of right or wrong. Worms offend me, that's all, and in any case, making such a young child suffer in the way she did is not amusing. Avenger and her Master though…they certainly are, at least from a distance. A twisted version of Jeanne d'Arc, according to these two, and a wizard from another world. They are stones thrown into a pond, the ripples disrupting the plans of the other players in this Grail War."

Risei schooled his expression to keep the disgust off his face as the Archer Servant chuckled in dark amusement. It wasn't right to think of the death and destruction caused by the Grail War as amusing, and yet, Gilgamesh was finding it as such. Of course, it didn't do to object to that with a man who was a demigod and a walking weapon of mass destruction. Kariya, meanwhile, muttered, "As long as Tokiomi suffers, and Sakura is out of Zouken's reach, I don't care."

"Hmph. Well, at least you are a man who knows what he wants, though at least one of them is out of your reach now." On Kariya's look, Gilgamesh scoffed. "Tokiomi knows that you hold a torch for his wife, though she never knew. If she didn't know about the Crest Worms, would she have accepted you into her bed when you handed back her youngest? I doubt it, and certainly not the way you are now. Still, unrequited love is one of the most painfully beautiful things in the world." On this, Gilgamesh's eyes became…well, pitying, and considering that he normally showed arrogance, anger or contempt, this was a surprisingly more positive emotion on his face.

Then, the moment was gone, and he turned to Kirei. "Kirei, I met Rider while he was walking abroad, searching for a barrel of swill that masquerades as drink. He has invited me to a clash, of sorts, not of strength of arms and body, but of wine, wit and words. I have since relayed this to Tokiomi, who wishes for you to send Assassin there. Thanks to that worm Zouken Matou, he is aware that the daughter he discarded is in the custody of Rider, Avenger and their respective Masters, but as he can't find where they are, to say nothing of being wary of fighting two Servants, he is biding his time. As both Rider and Avenger will be at this gathering, he wants you to have Assassin watching, and on standby, in case an opportunity arises to deal with them. I only assented to being his messenger because I wished to speak with you anyway."

"And why, if I may be so bold as to ask, do you have an interest in my son?" Risei asked.

"Your son interests me. That is all I have to say on the matter to you, Risei Kotomine. I have some time to spare before I have to leave to attend this little farce between mongrels and pretenders to kingship," Gilgamesh said. "I will not keep your son for long."

As Kirei followed Gilgamesh, looking perturbed, Risei met Kariya's eyes. "…I don't think that's a good idea," Kariya said. "That Archer…if someone as snooty and haughty as he is takes an interest in your son, it can't be good. I saw his little proclamations at the docks through a familiar before I sent Berserker in."

"Perhaps, but how can I stop a Servant?" Risei asked. "I doubt he'd even respond well to a polite request."

Kariya laughed, only to start hacking up blood. "Ugh…yeah, you're right," he said as he wiped his lips on his sleeve. "But what's this about a gathering of the Servants?"

"I don't know. But I'm sure Tokiomi will use it as an opportunity to learn more about the competition…"

* * *

Sirius sat with Sakura in the garden of the Mackenzies, having seen the others off shortly after dinner. He personally thought this was a fool's errand, having what was basically a drinking party and conference under parley. But Iskandar would hear nothing of it. Of course, Sakura would stay here.

He and Sakura sat in the backyard, looking up at the stars, Sirius pointing out various constellations. Then, he said, with a mixture of wistfulness and contempt, "My family named many of its members after stars or constellations. I guess the surname Black was too boring."

"What was your family like, Mr Padfoot?" Sakura asked, having been persuaded to call him that.

"Somewhere between the Tohsakas and the Matous in terms of nastiness," Sirius said. "I think even my late and unlamented mother might have baulked at having something like Crest Worms infest her children. Then again, the old hag might have let it happen anyway. Harry told you about Voldemort. The day my brother joined the Death Eaters was one of the happiest days of their life." Sirius' face fell as he remembered something Harry brought up earlier. Even now, he found it hard to believe, almost as hard to believe as Remus and Nymphadora's deaths. "…Though Reggie actually tried to do the right thing in the end. Most of my family were hardcore Blood Purists. I rebelled against that. And look where it got me: Azkaban."

"Azkaban?"

"Hell on Earth. I don't know whether it'd ever compare to what you went through at the Matous', but it's still nothing I'd wish on anyone but my worst enemies. The guards there are demonic creatures called Dementors that suck the very happiness from their surroundings, make you relive your worst memories. I spent twelve years there for a crime I didn't commit. Even now, sometimes, I have nightmares of that place."

Sakura was silent for a time. Eventually, with too much insight for a six year old girl to have, she said, "Even if I'm away from that place for the rest of my life, I'll be having nightmares about it for the rest of my life too, won't I?"

"Yes. But…if nothing else, at least they'll just be nightmares," Sirius said, as soothingly as he could manage. "Your sister and your mother still love you, and we're willing to fight to keep you away from Zouken and Tokiomi."

In truth, he wanted nothing more than to head to the Matou estate here and now, and burn that fucking place to the ground. But Zouken probably didn't reach his apparently advanced age without learning some tricks, and magic here was different to back home. In addition, if he went going off half-cocked, well, it'd be like when he all but abandoned Harry to go after Peter. And this time, he might not come out of it alive, or worse.

However, he knew that their best chance of dealing with Zouken would be with a Servant. That pyromaniacal evil twin of Joan of Arc would probably be their best bet. As much as he was still wary of her for her being, well, a pyromaniac who had probably as many issues as Cousin Bella, she'd shown that she was, if not trustworthy per se, then she at least was loyal to Harry and was disgusted by harm done to innocents. In fact, if Bellatrix and Jeanne ever met (unlikely, considering the former was now dead), Sirius knew that Jeanne would probably set that crazy bitch of a cousin of his on fire with her Noble Phantasm.

Sirius sighed quietly, even as he sat with Sakura. He hoped this little drinking party didn't go awry. He wanted his godson and Waver back safe and sound…

* * *

If anyone had told Harry that after Hogwarts, he'd be riding on a chariot driven by Alexander the Great alongside Joan of Arc's evil twin to meet a female King Arthur during a magical tournament in Japan, he would have laughed in their face. And yet, here he was, doing just that. And he had a feeling that this night wouldn't end well. After all, here Harry was, heading into the lion's den once more. It wasn't Arturia he was worried about, but rather, Emiya and his offsider. Iskandar often said not to worry about it, but Harry couldn't help but do so. He even brought along Volumen Hydragyrum, just in case.

Soon, Iskandar had parked the Gordius Wheel, his chariot, outside the castle, and kicked open the doors. He wasn't dressed in his usual battle dress, but rather, his civvie clothes, consisting of jeans and a shirt advertising the game _Admirable Tactics_. Apparently Iskandar had taken a liking to real time strategy computer games.

"KING OF KNIGHTS!" Iskandar called out. "COME FORTH! I'VE COME BEARING DRINKS!"

Eventually, Arturia and Irisviel, the latter of whom looked somewhat haggard, appeared at the top of the staircase. "Rider? What is the meaning of this intrusion?" Arturia demanded, looking bemused and a little frazzled.

"I wish to share some drinks, Saber," Iskandar said with a smile, hefting the barrel pointedly.

Arturia and Irisviel seemed to discuss something with each other, inaudibly from this range, before the former nodded. "I see. This is a challenge without arms, correct?"

"Indeed. I wish to discuss our kingship. However, Avenger decided to come along, and who am I to deny her?"

Harry looked at Jeanne. "Should I tell her? About Berserker?" he asked quietly.

Jeanne nodded. "You'd probably be more tactful."

"Right." Harry began walking up the stairs to Arturia. Suddenly a bit nervous, not because of the Saber Servant's strength or presence, but because of what he needed to say, he faltered briefly. Eventually, he said, "Saber…Arturia…earlier today, we defeated Berserker and his Master. His Master, Kariya Matou, is currently seeking sanctuary at the church assigned as such. However, Berserker had a final request that related to you, as he regained his sanity as he died."

Arturia considered this, before asking, her voice a little softer than he usually heard her to be, "What is that request? Who was he?"

"…He was Sir Lancelot."

Arturia's eyes widened in horror and shock. "…What?!"

"Sorry, let me finish. He said…he felt he hadn't been punished enough by you in anger for what happened with Guinevere, and that he wanted your judgement in battle. But…he also wanted us to tell you this. He told us to tell you that you were the greatest of all kings, and that all who served under you thought as such."

Arturia closed her glistening eyes, seemingly gathering herself together after hearing what had to be a rather shocking revelation. Eventually, she said, "I thank you for telling me this, Harry, even if the identity of Berserker is unwelcome news. I had wondered why Berserker seemed to target me, or how he seemed to know the length of my blade."

Iskandar, who was coming up the stairs, peered at her appraisingly. "…Perhaps I have misjudged you a little, King of Knights. If I had not heard of your knight's dying words…well, now is not the time to speak of such things, at least not yet." He then turned to Irisviel. "Now, young lady, I don't suppose there is somewhere we could hold a bacchanal of some sort? We have much to discuss…"

**CHAPTER 19 ANNOTATIONS:**

**So, there you have it. A nice interlude of a chapter immediately prior to the Grail Dialogue. I actually intended for this to be the Grail Dialogue itself, before I decided, instead, to have some character moments, with the preamble of what I wrote for the original version of the chapter bolted on at the end. I'm particularly proud of Sirius' little talk with Sakura. He probably feels a kinship with her, given that they both had twisted families and both had shitty experiences, and probably views her as a daughter or a niece.**

**Also, Arturia has learned of Lancelot and his last words, and Iskandar might just pull his punches a little in the Grail Dialogue, given that he overheard how loyal Lancelot was to her.**

**Anyway, the next chapter will be the Grail Dialogue proper, but with a few additions. Not just Jalter or Harry either. Dunno when it will be out, though…**

**No numbered annotations this time.**


	21. Chapter 20: Words and Wine

**CHAPTER 20:**

**WORDS AND WINE**

As the trio of Servants gathered in a little garden courtyard within the castle, Harry looked at Irisviel. "So, where's your husband?"

"Off with Maiya. Doing what, I don't know," Irisviel said, smiling wanly. Iskandar offered some wine to Arturia and Jeanne with a ladle.

"…And you look unwell. Are you okay?" Harry asked in concern.

"Just a touch of…_something_. I'm a Homunculus. A few flaws in my creation are catching up with me," Irisviel confessed. "So, Berserker is dead? I had a feeling that was the case. First Caster, and then Berserker."

"Yeah. Jeanne says that it's painted a huge target on my back, but…well, killing Caster was because he was killing those kids, plus he kidnapped Sakura. Berserker is dead because…well, Zouken set Kariya Matou on me."

Then, Harry groaned softly as a distinctive form materialised in a flurry of golden particles. While he'd never met the Servant yet, he knew from Jeanne's descriptions that this was Archer. He looked like Draco Malfoy with red eyes, tacky gold armour, and an air that he actually could back up what he said. He felt Irisviel stiffen next to him in fear, and Waver, who was scrambling around to them, looked like he was about to piss himself.

After a brief discussion, Archer accepted a ladle of wine, only to sneer in disgust, and summoning, through a rippling gold portal in space, a gold pitcher of wine and some goblets. Shortly after sampling the wine therein, eventually, Iskandar said, "There's another guest whom, I'm sure, is skulking around. And while they are not a king, they, like Avenger, were once a leader. Assassin! Show yourself!"

There was a lengthy silence, before finally, with an irritated sigh, the female body of Assassin appeared next to Harry, Irisviel and Waver. She walked over to the other Servants, and sat. "You'll forgive me for not partaking, but my faith prohibits alcohol," she said.

"And since when did faith prevent drunkards from getting drunk?" Archer asked. "At the very least, remove your mask, Assassin."

Assassin bristled, but did so, revealing a beautiful face. It was a hard, stern beauty, her violet eyes glinting like gemstones, but there was also a mournful nature to it. "This is not my true face. We who ascend to the title of Hassan-i Sabbah must sacrifice our former faces, save for a few exceptions, like Hassan of Serenity. And in any case…I was not born a woman…I think."

"Why demand that she join us, Rider?" Arturia asked.

"I knew Assassin was still alive and probably watching us. I didn't feel like pretending that they weren't. And being one of the Hassan-i Sabbah, even if Assassin was not a king, they are a leader, and thus more than worthy of joining us here."

"While I thank you for your consideration, do not consider me a friend or ally," Assassin said. "Had we existed in your time, then we would have brought an end to your conquest, by ending your life."

Jeanne nodded. "The Assassin Order was founded during the Crusades, wasn't it?"

"Indeed. I was the last to officially hold the title. All that came after me were but a shadow of what the Great Founder intended for the order," Assassin said, rather morosely.

"The Great Founder…the first Hassan-i Sabbah, the Grand Assassin," Archer mused, peering at Assassin, scrutinising her.

"Do not speak his name so lightly, Archer. To speak so carelessly of the Great Founder is to risk forfeiting one's head," Assassin said with a shudder.

"Agreed!" Iskandar declared. "We are not here to speak of such things. Our topic may be a weighty one, but let us not fall into grim and morbid musings."

Jeanne rolled her eyes. "And what grand topic do you wish to speak of, O King of Conquerors?" she asked sarcastically.

"Why, who amongst us is the most worthy to take the Grail, after all!"

Jeanne stared at him flatly. "…Worthy? The one who is worthy is the violent fucker who's strong enough to stand over the metaphysical corpses of the other Servants."

Iskandar laughed, and oddly enough, so too did Archer. "For all that you bark and growl like a mangy cur, Avenger, you are both amusing and refreshingly blunt!" Archer chuckled. "And given that you have disposed of that mongrel that put his hands on my treasures, I am feeling better inclined towards you than I was before."

"Thank you," she said sarcastically.

* * *

The topic turned to their wishes. Archer wished to deny the others a chance at the Grail, by the logic that, as he possessed all the world's treasures, any who wished to claim the Grail were thieves that he would put down without mercy. Iskandar wanted to be born anew in this era, and conquer the world once more. Jeanne rolled her eyes at that. Both of these two were pathetic, she thought.

"So, what do you desire from the Grail, Assassin?" Iskandar asked.

The purple-haired woman seemed hesitant at first, before she said, "…To be whole. My Noble Phantasm, as you no doubt know by now, allows me to have multiple bodies. This was born of the fact that I had multiple personalities in life, something I weaponised. But it was my folly, as I began to truly fall into madness later in life, before the Great Founder appeared before me…and took my head."

Jeanne looked at her pityingly. "A rather mundane wish, but I can understand it. I know what it's like to fear one's own mind, Assassin."

"I agree. While I have never had cause to doubt my own sanity, it must be distressing," Arturia said.

Iskandar nodded solemnly. "A mundane wish, as Avenger put it, but I can understand your reasoning. So, who next? What of you, Jeanne d'Arc? Earlier, you spoke to me of not having a wish, but have you changed your mind?"

"…Perhaps. If one must be taken, I would become incarnated once more, like you desire, only, I have no desire for conquest," Jeanne said.

Archer raised an eyebrow. "You would not go back in time, take your well-deserved revenge upon those who betrayed you?"

"A tempting thought, but if Hell exists, then my betrayers are burning quite nicely in it," Jeanne said, a sneering smile touching her lips. "I would not relive my life either. While I do regret aiding Charles VII and receiving no help from him in my time of need, I do not regret saving France from the English. Instead, perhaps living in this modern era would be enough."

"Not burning it?" Iskandar asked.

"The problem is with destruction is that, one day, you'll run out of things to destroy," Jeanne said. She then turned her gaze to Arturia. "So, King of the Britons, what do you seek from the Grail?"

"…I wish to redo my reign. I wish to change the fated ruin of England, the fall of Camelot. I wish to save my domain."

Jeanne looked at Arturia. "…You wish to start your reign over?"

Suddenly, Archer barked with jeering laughter. "Have you not heard such comedy, Rider?! She calls herself a king!"

"Can I clarify something? You wish to disavow the events of your reign, Arturia? The ones you yourself wrote into history?" Iskandar asked.

"Indeed. My country fell, the one I sacrificed so much for collapsed, so is it so difficult to believe that I wish to do so? A king should sacrifice themselves for their realm and their people."

"…That is folly, Arturia," Iskandar said. "You have it the wrong way around."

Jeanne scoffed. "Oh, really? A king who defends their realm and regrets their mistakes is a fool? And what of your rule, King of Thieves? After your death, your empire fell to pieces."

"I may grieve what happened to my empire and my posterity after I died, but I would never regret it, nor would I undo it. That would be an affront to those who stood by my side."

"Kings should not find glory in destruction or subjugation," Arturia retorted. "They desire salvation. Just authority and rule. We are figures of order, and if it requires us to be a martyr to our ideals, then so be it. You only became a ruler to satisfy your own selfish impulses."

"That is no way to live, let alone rule, Arturia," Iskandar said coldly. "A king without ambition is no king at all. And while your image must have been a noble one, martyrdom is not a desirable path. Saints cannot lead the populace. Look at Jeanne here. You know how her story ended. Kings must be more avaricious, bold, and filled with life than all, embodying the extremes of the people, inspiring them all."

Jeanne glared at Iskandar. "And what of the people you subjugated? Were they all inspired when your troops took their homes and possessions and their dignity, raped them? I've been on the receiving end of so-called glorious conquerors, Iskandar."

"And you take Arturia's side?" Iskandar asked. "She never led her subjects, merely saved them. She never showed them the ambition of a king, instead, leaving them by the wayside when they lost their own way. She simply went on alone for her ideals."

"And yet, Lancelot, for all his madness, called her the greatest king, that all under her thought that," Jeanne pointed out. "What matters to her more? The opinion of a King of Thieves, or a man who, despite betraying her, still thought highly of her? Anyway, you implied she would affront those who made her era if she redid her rule, correct?"

"Indeed. She would spit on their sacrifices."

"WHAT IF SHE DIDN'T WANT THEIR SACRIFICES TO HAVE TO TAKE PLACE?!" Jeanne snarled. "What if she wants to make sure her loyal subjects didn't have to make those sacrifices? Would you deny her the chance to correct her mistakes? Maybe she does need to change how she ruled, maybe make herself less like a martyr, but defending the people she ruled is not wrong! Martyring herself for it is, true, but defending one's people, especially from rapacious fucks like you, is NOT a fucking crime against kingship! I tell you this, Iskandar, I _hate_ kings. I absolutely _despise_ them. But I would rather be under the rule of a just king who defends their kingdom, than be under one who is avaricious beyond belief, taking what is not theirs in the first place, and offering ephemeral things such as glory in return. All you inspired your subjects to be was to be as greedy as you were, and they tore apart your empire."

"Jeanne, I can fight my own battles. But I thank you for your support," Arturia said. "And she is correct. While I put on a façade of a monolithic king, perhaps that is one of the mistakes I made. One of those that led to Camelot's fall. Had Lancelot not given his last words to me, then I may have faltered on seeing his mien under the helm of Berserker. My wish is not wrong in of itself. I will not spit on their sacrifices as I do not intend to make them necessary. I want to change myself, for the better, perhaps. But you do not. Which is the better king, one who wishes to correct their mistakes, or one who wishes to repeat them?"

Gilgamesh snickered. "And here I was thinking you would crumble. It seems that having a couple of mad dogs in your corner is enough to bolster your tongue, Saber. One would wonder how sharp your wit is with truly competent people with you."

Iskandar nodded. "…As I said before, perhaps I have misjudged you a little, Saber. Only a little, but if you wish to correct your mistakes, and wish to help your men…perhaps there is something more to you than a little girl clinging to your ideals. An irony, then, that a profane version of a saint was needed to bring this admission out of you."

"Fuck you too, King of Thieves," Jeanne snarked back.

Suddenly, Assassin stiffened, before sighing in resignation, fixing her mask back onto her face. "My apologies, but I must interrupt this discourse. My Master has used a Command Seal to compel me to attack your Masters, Rider and Avenger, with all our strength. They want one of them captured alive to interrogate as to Sakura Matou's whereabouts. I'm afraid parley has been broken." She stood, drawing a dagger, as the rest of her bodies materialised.

Iskandar nodded solemnly. "I see. Such a shame, Assassin. Archer, is this one of your ploys?"

"Of course not. My Master is listening in. Doubtlessly, he's ordered some tasteless betrayal," Archer remarked.

Jeanne was on her feet, keeping close to the Masters, as was Arturia, but Iskandar stood too, a great wind whipping around him. "One last question, Saber. Must a king stand alone?"

"Apart, yes…alone…I don't know. Not now," Arturia admitted.

Iskandar laughed. "Perhaps there is some hope for you after all! Behold, then, a true king's power!"

And then, suddenly, a vast glow enveloped the courtyard…

* * *

…And they were now somewhere else.

Harry stared around them. Where there had once been a castle courtyard with flower beds, there was now a vast desert, the sun beating down on them. "…What the actual fuck is this?" he murmured.

"A Reality Marble," Irisviel muttered in awe.

"Okay, English for those who come from another world and who aren't used to this world's magic?"

Waver shot a look at Harry. "It's basically a mental world that can be manifested temporarily in place of reality. It's a big drain on mana because Gaia tries to erode it."

Jeanne sniffed. "So, your mind is filled with heat and sand. Maybe you could have, I don't know, added an ocean, then it'd be a beach and we could have some fun. As it is, it's boring."

Iskandar roared with laughter. "Avenger, you do not see it yet, the truth of my Noble Phantasm, the Ionian Hetairoi. But I daresay Assassin does."

The lead Assassin nodded grimly, even as the other bodies of Assassin milled about in anxiety. "An Assassin must have sharp eyes," she said, her tone tinged with weary resignation, before pointing to the horizon behind them.

And there, marching out of the heat haze, was a vast army. Harry was staring as thousands upon thousands of soldiers appeared. He knew the incredulous expression on his face was matched by those of almost everyone else present, other than Archer, who looked mildly amused at best. "…Okay, you have an army," Jeanne said. "Now your Reality Marble is actually impressive."

"People like you are easily impressed," Archer sniffed.

"Says the man who dresses in the tacky gold armour," Jeanne retorted. "You should be cooking in there like a baked potato." She then turned to the Assassins. "Besides, I never said I was gonna let him do all the dirty work. For what it's worth, Assassin…I actually liked you. I guess those who martyr themselves for their faith know each other, right?"

The female Assassin nodded. "If I have but one request…make it quick."

Jeanne nodded, even as a horse trotted up to Iskandar, and he began some bombastic speech, only for Jeanne to interrupt. "Oi, King of Thieves! Turnabout is fair play, so I'm gonna do some killstealing." She blinked her golden eyes. "…Where did that word come from? Ugh, stupid Grail." And with that, she charged off at the Assassins, trusting Arturia to protect them.

"…Enthusiastic, isn't she?' Iskandar said, albeit with a smile, before yelling at his army, "ERADICATE THEM!"

* * *

While nothing would compare in sheer horror to the lair of Caster, witnessing what was effectively a slaughter of the Assassins at the hands of Jeanne, Iskandar, and Iskandar's army certainly gave Harry more nightmare fuel. While he had witnessed battle and its aftermath many times, that had been magical battle, and while not exactly neat or tidy, it lacked something of the visceral horror of people being cut apart with swords, though Jeanne using cursed fire to disintegrate her foes was more familiar, even before he met her, thanks to his experiences with Fiendfyre. To Arturia, who was standing nearby, her sword ready to cut down any that managed to target the Masters, he asked, "Is it often like this? Battle, I mean?"

"Aye, though often bloodier. Chivalry is meant to minimise bloodshed and rancour, not remove it entirely," she said grimly. "You've seen battle yourself," she added. "I can see it in your eyes. Not as brutal as this, but…"

"I was caught up in a magical civil war," Harry said. "A warlock wanted me dead since I was born. It's a long story."

"…One day, I would like to hear it, Harry," Arturia said, gently placing a gauntleted hand on his shoulder.

Soon, the massacre was over, with Iskandar roaring in triumph, before his Reality Marble faded away, and with it, his army. Then, he came over to Waver, who looked dazed, and Harry. Irisviel seemed shaken, even nauseous, after the incident. "Come along, you two." His eyes then met Arturia's own. "And Saber…you came very close tonight to my deciding that you were not a king, just a little girl clinging to a delusion, barely even worthy of being a Heroic Spirit. But…your former comrade's words to you, to say little of your desire to help your men…perhaps, even if I still believe you are a fool, there is hope for you yet. Kings may stand apart, but not alone. Remember what Lancelot said to you."

As Harry was led away, Archer said, "Master of Avenger." Harry looked at him sharply. "My Master intends to retrieve Sakura Matou by hook or by crook. He has not given me much incentive to do so…but for all his banality, he has a keen mind. Guard yourself."

"I will. And tell him…he won't die," Harry said coldly. "He'll just wish he had. For what he knowingly did to Sakura, to Rin and Aoi. I've survived an undead warlock who has wanted me dead since I was born, a Basilisk, a troll, a dragon and an evil witch who looked like her mother slept with a toad. As far as I am concerned, Tokiomi Tohsaka is just next in line, along with Zouken Matou."

Archer, after a moment, roared with laughter. "One would dub what you said boasts and lies, and yet, you say them with such quiet conviction…I will enjoy crushing you and your rabid bitch of a Servant when the time comes, but until then, feel free to thwart that man who considers himself my Master in his schemes to retrieve his discarded offspring. I will find your efforts amusing. And should you actually prevail…then look after her. My Master discarded pearls before swine, or worms, not truly caring about the treasure he tossed away until now. Now, be off with you."

Harry nodded, before he joined Iskandar and Waver on the chariot, Jeanne joining them. It had been an eventful evening, and while he was rather angry with Iskandar for his treatment of Arturia, it had been an enlightening one. He could see Iskandar's point, but he could understand Arturia's desire to go back and redo her reign more than he could Iskandar's wish to conquer anew. Though at least Iskandar was far better than Archer, who believed the Grail belonged to him, and nobody else.

As the Gordius Wheel ascended, he knew that the Grail War was about to get ever more dangerous. He needed to step up his game, or risk dying, and leaving Sakura to the non-existent mercy of her biological father and adoptive grandfather. And he would not countenance that, not one bit…

**CHAPTER 20 ANNOTATIONS:**

**So, the Grail Dialogue has happened, a little differently to canon. Now, I promise that Harry will be more proactive from now on. He's going to have to be, as he has at least one Master gunning for him, namely Tokiomi, to say nothing of Zouken Matou. And maybe Sola-Ui, while she detested Kayneth, may persuade Diarmuid to take revenge. Yikes.**

**I originally intended to post this chapter as part of the upcoming December update, but having finished the chapter after this one, I've decided to post it. Hope you enjoy.**

**Review-answering time! Many of you have noted that I have characterised Gilgamesh as having standards. Don't get me wrong, I actually despise him, even as he is in ****_Fate/Zero_**** (his king incarnation as a Caster in the Babylonia chapter of ****_Fate/Grand Order_**** was much better, even if it took some time to warm to him, given that he was still a dick), but I thought it would be not unreasonable for him to despise his Master for what he did to Sakura (he's already rather disdainful of Tokiomi for being boring). Not because of morality, but because…well, in the next chapter, he compares it to as if one buried one of his most beloved treasures in a cesspit. In other words, he feels that Tokiomi sullied something that should have been treasured, or else given to someone that could have treasured her more. He feels that Tokiomi didn't search hard enough for another solution, which also offends him. He has no compunction against Sakura being adopted out in the first place, just where she was adopted to.**

**Jose19****: Jalter's attack is not suicidal, and if you're referring to La Pucelle, Jalter uses the sword (rather than the suicide attack named for the sword) as part of her own attack arsenal. Her NPs are very different to her normal self.**

**No numbered annotations this time.**


	22. Chapter 21: Aftermath

**CHAPTER 21:**

**AFTERMATH**

Whoever said that laughter was the best medicine, Risei Kotomine reflected, had never heard of Crest Worms. True, Kariya Matou was clearly enjoying himself, laughing at what he had heard, but he had to pause every so often to cough up a wad of bloody phlegm, often accompanied by smaller Crest Worms wriggling in the crimson droplets. "So that big lug of a Rider has a Reality Marble? Okay, Archer's going to have a hard time dealing with that."

"It wouldn't do to underestimate Archer, or indeed any of the other Servants still in the Grail War," Risei said. He'd just finished his report to Tokiomi, and had discussed, along with Kirei, what had happened with Kariya.

"Yeah, well…you're probably right. I wouldn't be surprised if Archer had an Anti-Army Noble Phantasm at the very least in his little storeroom, and I know from what I got from Berserker that Saber's main Noble Phantasm is Anti-Fucking Fortress. Dunno what Avenger's Noble Phantasm is like, but let me tell you, given the feedback I got from Berserker when he got hit by that, _it fucking __**hurts**_."

"I'd imagine pain is a familiar condition for you by now, Kariya," Kirei observed. Risei looked at his son, and frowned. There was something odd about Kirei's eyes, like there was a touch too much interest in Kariya's suffering. But…it couldn't be, could it? His son was a good man.

Kariya scoffed in reply to Kirei's observation. "Pain's got all sorts of variations, believe me, I know. Getting infested with Crest Worms…if there's worse chronic pain, I haven't felt it yet. Maybe someone with some terminal illness has it worse, but frankly, I've no idea. But getting impaled and set on fire…not a recommended experience, and I don't think I got much more than a small fraction of it. Why do you want to know, anyway?"

"Morbid curiosity," Kirei said, perhaps a touch too hurriedly. "As an Executor, I have seen many forms of suffering, though yours is novel, even if it's a particularly undesirable novelty."

"Yeah, you've got that right," Kariya muttered. "Though I'm more worried about Saber. I saw parts of her life through Berserker's eyes, what with Saber being Arturia Pendragon and Berserker being Lancelot. Rider had a big point, I'll admit, but Lancelot had nothing more than admiration for her, at least until that mess with Guinevere came about. True, she could have been a lot more approachable, and she was a bit too ruthless at times, but…Rider's a big dick. Avenger had a point. All Rider did was take from people what was theirs, while Saber…she defended her people, and worked to try and better their lot. She just seemed too damned inhuman, hence why Mordred managed to overthrow her."

Kirei seemed to frown pensively, and while that was more or less his default expression, Risei knew his son was thinking about something. "And Sakura?"

"Hopefully, she'll be fine with the others," Kariya said. "That being said, neither Tokiomi or Zouken will take this lying down. And while Zouken may not have a Servant, especially now that I'm out of the running…"

Risei nodded. "Of more immediate concern is Tokiomi's reaction. He is considering his strategy after our report. While he intends to retrieve Sakura, Rider is a far more dangerous opponent than either Saber or Avenger. In addition, Lancer and his new Master are still around. Of course, Tokiomi's most dangerous opponent remains the Magus Killer."

"Yeah…well, I hope Emiya takes him down," Kariya said. "Though that Potter guy, he's no pushover, and he's got the drive to go after Tokiomi. He's barely older than a kid, but he's been through some shit. As long as Sakura is away from Tokiomi and Zouken, I don't care who puts paid to them…"

* * *

Gilgamesh chortled inwardly as his erstwhile Master fretted. The man had pled with him and beseeched him to try and retrieve Sakura, but Gilgamesh refused. The fact that Tokiomi had refused to use a Command Seal was telling: while he knew his Master was a prudent, overly cautious man, the saga with Sakura had pushed the man's desperation enough that Gilgamesh wouldn't have been surprised if he did use one, despite Gilgamesh's chastisement over the usage of the first one. Which meant that Tokiomi had a purpose that required at least two Command Seals, regardless of prudency.

In truth, watching Tokiomi writhe in torment like a worm in a puddle of acid was most amusing. Gilgamesh had been silent when Tokiomi asked whether he had a Noble Phantasm that could deal with Iskandar's Reality Marble. Which he did: Ea, the Sword of Rupture. And Iskandar was shaping himself up to be someone worthy to use it on. A glorified thief he may be, but Gilgamesh respected the man's charisma and drive. He just wanted Tokiomi to sweat.

Arturia and Jeanne d'Arc, though…well, while they were not worthy of using Ea on, they were still interesting. Arturia was a paragon of beauty and pain, the latter caused by the burdens she assumed under her imbecilic and yet beautiful notion of kingship. And this twisted version of the Maiden of Orleans…a rabid cur she may be, and yet, she had a fire that was admirable, even if he needed to snuff it out. And she was a damned sight better than Caster, if what the Kotomines had to tell him held any weight. She had the gall to attack him, but he supposed that he understood her reasons for despising kings, even if he could not pardon such an attitude. The only reason why he even considered letting her live after all these insults were because of her Master and what he did for Sakura.

Gilgamesh had done many cruel things in life, at least by the standards of mongrels. However, he would have never allowed such an innocent girl to be subjected to such a fate as being infested with Crest Worms. If someone wished to subject themselves to that voluntarily, or else it was used as punishment, he wouldn't care. But this…well, it wasn't out of anything like morality. In truth, to him, it was as if he took one of his greatest treasures from the Gate of Babylon, and then cast it into the deepest, most foul cesspit he could find, and leave it there for months. It was an insult more than anything else.

Oh, he could understand Tokiomi's reasoning on an intellectual level. But even while he claimed to be doing this out of love for Sakura, to ensure her future as a Magus, Tokiomi turned a wilful blind eye to the suffering she underwent, being violated by those worms on a regular basis, and at an age long before she should know what such violation was, even by the standards of Gilgamesh's time. He had sullied such a treasure as a talented daughter by casting it into that foul abode. That alone earned Gilgamesh's disgust towards Tokiomi a thousand times over, and only the need to find and cultivate another Master, like perhaps Kirei, stayed Gilgamesh's hand.

Gilgamesh had no intention of losing the Grail War. But while prideful and blinkered, he wasn't stupid. There was a possibility, even if it was an infinitesimal one, that he might lose. And while he would be deeply enraged by such an outcome, knowing that Tokiomi was thwarted would give him some consolation, perhaps something to laugh about as he faded back to the Throne of Heroes…

* * *

Jeanne was sitting in the backyard of the Mackenzie household. She just wanted to be alone for now while her Master slept. And yet, an annoyance soon appeared. "You are troubled."

"No shit, Sherlock," Jeanne sneered, turning to face Iskandar. "I'm a twisted parody of one of the world's most famous saints. How the actual fuck can I be anything but troubled?"

"Well, those who revel in evil wouldn't find themselves troubled, which says a lot about you," Iskandar said, scratching at his cheek a little sheepishly.

"I'm surprised you're not pissed about me dissing your form of ruling."

Iskandar chuckled. "Believe it or not, I am resilient to criticism, especially that which has a point. Do not misunderstand me, Jeanne d'Arc, Arturia is a fool, and her style of rule is foolish…but her conviction and her desire to defend her people is not what I hate about her. Rather, it is her martyr's mindset, something you yourself had in life. She may have led them, but did she rule them? It's to her credit that she wishes to make amends for her men, to ensure they did not sacrifice themselves. For a moment, I believed she didn't value said sacrifices, but rather, it's that she doesn't want them to have to be made. She merely has to learn how to show those she ruled that she valued them. In truth, that seems to be one thing that distinguishes Arturia and I from Goldie."

"Goldie? The Archer?"

"Yes. I suspect his true identity. Given his arrogance, power and his claims to primacy…well, that and I recognised the taste of his wine. It reminded me of a wine I once found stored away in Babylon that was said to have belonged to an ancient king. I believe Goldie to be Gilgamesh of Uruk."

"Gilgamesh?" Jeanne asked. The relevant information was promptly provided by the Grail. One of the oldest, if not THE oldest, known heroes to humanity. An arrogant warrior king and demigod whose only friend was the beastman Enkidu. "Great," she added sarcastically.

"Anyway, while I find Archer to be a more worthy opponent, do not think I hate Arturia. The fact that Lancelot considered her a great king, despite everything that transpired, is heartening, for it shows that she inspired at least one person in her time. And I do not hate you, either, even if you hate me for my style of kingship. You tell some uncomfortable truths, I am sure, but I welcome them. And I sympathise with why you wished to defend your country. I harbour no malice for those who wish to defend their homelands. Indeed, I wish to make them part of my own forces, to inspire them even in defeat. Of course, I doubt you would be tractable, given how deep the wounds left by the English go."

"Of course not," Jeanne scoffed. "If you're trying to comfort me, you're failing."

"…Then take comfort in these words. Your life was a truly beautiful one, Jeanne d'Arc, despite its ending. Even tainted and tarnished by your former comrade's desires, you remain virtuous after your own fashion. You even stated you would remain allied with me, not merely out of pragmatism, but also to protect my Master. I am sure more than a few Servants and their Masters would not be so considerate. That says a lot about you. All that I ask in return is this: should I fall in battle, and you still live, continue to protect my Master alongside your own."

Jeanne scoffed. "Need you ask?"

"That's what I thought. Good night." Iskandar then Astralized, leaving Jeanne with her thoughts, looking up at the stars once more.

There were many things troubling her lately, true, with her very existence troubling. But one thing then came to mind. Assassin had been Kirei's Servant, and he had sacrificed Assassin, presumably to get some idea of the other Servants' abilities for Tokiomi Tohsaka. However, Jeanne wondered whether Kirei would leave it at that.

Somehow, she doubted it. While Kirei followed his father's orders, and seemed like a follower, she knew that the walking dead, like he was, constantly sought something, a meaning to their life. While he had been passive to some degree, he was searching for something. A something that could still impact them.

She herself was still searching. For a reason to exist. True, she enjoyed protecting Harry and Sakura, despite herself, or rather, she found fulfilment in it. But she needed a reason to exist. Her old self would have merely put her faith in God and men, and God failed her, as did the very people she fought for. Charles VII did nothing to save her.

Protecting France? No, she gave her all and got nothing in return. While she was loved by the people these days, her reputation was also being hijacked by vicious idiots who cared little about the values she once held.

A relationship with Harry? She hadn't known him for long, and while she would admit to some attraction that she knew was mutual, she also knew that their relationship could easily be severed by death in this Grail War, never mind the relationship dying from their differences. It'd be a quite literally fiery break-up.

"What should I do now?" she muttered to herself.

"Well…why not go out and live?"

Jeanne looked at her doppelganger, the saint, looking at her with a sad smile. "…Why the fuck are you here? And where's the crispy fried version of me?"

"I, er…may have had to chain her up a bit," the Saint said, looking a bit sheepish. "Jeanne…you're beginning to heal. As you said, you're a patchwork figure, a fiction cobbled together…what you saw in that apparition was nothing like an evil side per se. All humans have the capacity for good and evil, even us. Rather, she was more of a sign of a taint, something evil, more external. I'm more of a sort of hybrid of the saint you once was, and the Jeanne d'Arc that even now resides within the Throne of Heroes. Because you're beginning to come to terms with your situation, her influence, and my own, are waning. You're becoming your own person, Jeanne. And even if I cannot condone your more violent tendencies…I'm still proud of you. The thing is, you were brought into being as a fictionalised version of me, one that appealed to Gilles' deranged vision of us, as a bloodthirsty avenger against our fate. But that doesn't mean you have no right to exist, especially as you are independent of Gilles' desires."

"Is there a point to this?" Jeanne growled.

"…Do you remember our one desire? That one we've had since we were children? We wanted to see the ocean. We did so much in our lives, and yet…we never really did get to enjoy ourselves so simply, did we? Jeanne…that should be your wish. To be allowed to live. To enjoy your life. Who knows? Maybe one day, we can meet, if I'm ever summoned from the Throne of Heroes. I'd love to meet you."

"The feeling isn't mutual," Jeanne retorted.

"Maybe not, but you like him, don't you? One who is your Master, but treats you as an ally, no, as a friend," her doppelganger said. "Don't let go of him."

* * *

He dreamed of her. Well, it was a nightmare more than a dream, given that it ended with her burning alive. It seemed to switch between two different versions. In one, she accepted her end with calm dignity and grace, at least outwardly, while inwardly, she prayed to an apparently unheeding God, struggling to maintain her composure. In another, she screamed in pain, emitting blasphemies and expletives at the gathered crowd, howling that she would have her vengeance. It seemed to alternate between the two like a badly spliced film.

He felt like he was suffering what she suffered. The Cruciatus may have been the most painful thing he had ever experienced, but feeling like he was being burned to death came a close second. And when he woke up, he had to check himself. He flinched when he found the burn scars on his arm, only to remember where he got them from. Then, he scowled. Tokiomi Tohsaka.

How could someone so vile as to knowingly allow Sakura to be condemned to such a fate have two girls who were so decent, or such a good wife? Sakura, for all her moroseness, seemed to be a sweet girl beneath the trauma, and Rin had bared her heart to him as 'Hebi'. Aoi was gentle and demure, and yet, when she realised the truth of what had happened to Sakura…well, her wrath would have gone badly for Tokiomi had he not hypnotised her.

He left his room, only to find Sakura and Martha in the dining room, again. Martha looked up at him in sympathy. "This is a bit of a habit for both of you," she clucked.

"Is she…?" Harry indicated Sakura.

Martha nodded. "My husband and I have half a mind to go to that old monster and…well, it'd be an exercise in futility, but still…to treat a child like that…"

Harry sat down next to Sakura, who looked up at him with her sad, violet eyes. "…Harry," she said quietly. "I…I want to see them."

Harry was surprised at the sudden determination in her voice. "Who? Rin and Aoi?"

"Yes. You said that they hated what Tokiomi did to me. I want to see that myself. And…to see that they still…love…me…even if…" Her voice began to quaver.

"They do, Sakura," Harry said, gently cuddling her, even as his anger towards Tokiomi Tohsaka and Zouken Matou raged to even greater heights. He would make them pay. He swore it…

**CHAPTER 21 ANNOTATIONS:**

**Well, some nice little character moments. Next chapter, a heartwarming family reunion. That chapter will be posted as part of the upcoming December update, along with a lot of my Potterverse/Nasuverse crossovers, and other stories.**

**Review-answering time! ****Skull Flame****: While Arturia is a British King, Jalter prefers her, if only because she sees a lot of herself in Arturia.**

**TM11****: Excuse me? I thought I never changed the general nature of Arturia's wish from ****_Fate/Zero_****, only how she approaches it. I think she needed the realisation that she's not doing it out of personal, selfish dissatisfaction with how it turned out, but rather, what happened to her friends and comrades. So I'm not actually changing her wish, just why she wants it slightly. Her wish for ****_Fate/Stay Night_****, however, was just plain retarded, born out of the trauma she suffered during ****_Fate/Zero_****, especially thanks to Lancelot and Kiritsugu.**

**Jostanos****: Funny you should say that, given how the next chapter ends. Let's just say that Kirei goes on a rather enthusiastic, if serendipitous, walk…**

**Noctus of the Thousand Blades****: The main part of the story will end with the events of ****_Fate/Zero_****, though there may be an epilogue set later. That being said, the Fifth Grail War may be a moot point…**

**No numbered annotations this time.**


	23. Chapter 22: Values

**CHAPTER 22:**

**VALUES**

Later that morning, Harry, Jeanne, and Sakura had taken a Portkey to a park near the Zenjous, with Harry having contacted Risei to get the address (Sirius knew the place, so he could make the Portkey himself). When Harry knocked on the door, they were soon greeted by Aoi. "…Mr Potter? And…Sakura?" Her hand flew to her mouth, and she was instantly on her knees, hugging her daughter. "…I'm so sorry, Sakura. I'm so…so sorry…"

Sakura had a startled look to her eyes, not expecting this reaction. But then, she returned the hug, and began weeping. Hearing the noise, Rin appeared, only to dash forward and begin hugging Sakura as well. Harry and Jeanne just stood there and let them do so…

* * *

They were soon invited inside, with Aoi's parents currently out, with Aoi quickly making some tea. "Harry…words cannot describe the gratitude I feel towards you getting Sakura out of there. If I had known about the Crest Worms, I would have fought Tokiomi on this. But…I merely thought that Zouken, while he looked sinister, would merely train her hard," she said, as she brought a tray over. "I misjudged Kariya, badly. I was told by Risei that he had a thing for me, something that I've suspected in the back of my mind…but to think he had a good reason for running out on his family. And to think, Tokiomi would go so far as to meddle with our memories."

"You married a Magus," Harry pointed out.

Aoi nodded miserably, before looking at Sakura and Rin, sitting together. "Our family were Magi long ago, but we gave up the practise. Tokiomi courted me, however, for a trait our family had. But he was also such a gentle and courteous and gentlemanly man…I thought that I had known the man behind the Magus. I was wrong. To give up Sakura, while heartbreaking, was…I did not agree with it, but I agreed with the reasoning, the fight over the Tohsaka Magic Crest. But then, Zouken came with his offer, and…" Her voice caught in her throat. "Tokiomi had been considering the Edelfelts at one stage, to heal the rift between our families, and I know she would have been loved there. The Edelfelts, for all their ruthlessness and pragmatism, care for their family, from what I have heard. Sakura Edelfelt would have been loved, not…not given over to worms…"

As she began to sob, Rin, who was gently cuddling Sakura, looked sharply at Harry. "Hebi…no, Harry…will you keep Sakura safe? Will you promise to do so?"

"I really want to say that I can guarantee that," Harry said. "But…I know you're a smart girl for your age, Rin. Both you and your sister are. Your father is a brilliant Magus, and he has one of the strongest Servants in this Grail War. And Zouken…I'm not sure what will put him down for good. But I can promise you that I will do my best to keep her away from those who'd do her harm, and if I fail in that, then I will do my utmost to get her back."

"And so will I," Jeanne declared.

Aoi looked at Jeanne. "And yet, I am told you are an Avenger Servant. I admittedly only know the basics of the Holy Grail War, of the seven standard classes, but the name Avenger implies, well…not a protective nature."

Jeanne glared at the demure young woman for a moment, before sighing, and putting her teacup down. "You have a point. Avengers…we avenge the grievances and insults and injustices done to us in life. Sakura knows who I am…and Tokiomi would know by now, so there's no point in concealing it. I am a fictionalised version of Jeanne d'Arc."

"Who is that?" Rin asked.

"Joan of Arc was a famous girl who claimed to hear the voice of God and his angels, telling her to defend France from the English forces during the Hundred Years War," Aoi explained. "The English and their Burgundian allies captured her eventually, and framed her for being a witch, more or less, before burning her at the stake. I'm simplifying things, Rin, but she died at the age of nineteen."

"Exactly. But…I'm not Jeanne's dark side. She was too pure and kind and loving to think of revenge. No…Caster, Gilles de Rais, my former comrade…he wanted a Jeanne who was filled with wrath and hatred and a thirst for vengeance. I think the Grail answered him. And here I am. The thing is…I know I'm not a good person. But I despise those who deliberately harm innocents. I was innocent of the crimes I was put on trial for. Sakura is an innocent, more innocent than even my saint self was when they burned her. What Zouken put her through…I won't lie and say I wouldn't wish that on anyone. But few would, certainly not an innocent child." Jeanne met Aoi's eyes. "I will protect her to the bitter end, Aoi. I could be cruel and say better than you…but your main fault was ignorance."

Aoi nodded, accepting both the rebuke and the qualification. "…But can you protect her? Tokiomi has summoned a powerful Archer, from what I know, and…"

"He didn't seem like the sort to obey orders," Harry pointed out. "Too full of himself. He seemed to find this situation entertaining. Your husband and Zouken are the main problems, at least as far as Sakura is concerned. With Berserker, Caster and Assassin gone, well…while I can't discount any other Servants, it's Saber and Archer, as well as their Masters, that we need to look out for. Saber's Master is Kiritsugu Emiya, after all."

"Yes, I heard Tokiomi bring him up. And if you win, or at least survive, what then?"

"It depends on whether your husband is still alive. If not, and if Sakura wants to come back to you…then I'll give her back without any hesitation. But…even if he doesn't win, he may still survive. And I don't know whether being a Magus would affect child custody and the like if you divorce him."

"I understand. I don't like it, but I do understand. But should you have to keep her…please…show her the love I should have shown her," Aoi pleaded.

Harry and Jeanne nodded. "Aoi…" Harry said. "I was orphaned by a warlock from a young age, something I became famous for. My relatives did not treat me well, considering me a freak for having magical ability. The people of my world treated me as their messiah one moment, and then as a nascent dark lord the next. Even after I killed the warlock who made it his life mission to hound me and kill me…they betrayed me. It's how I ended up in this world. I may not know all of what Sakura went through, but I know what it feels like to be abandoned, alone, harmed by those who should love me. All for my own good, so it was claimed. I want to help Sakura heal from this, because in some ways, she's more like me than I want her to be…"

* * *

They spent some time there, more for Sakura and Rin's sake than anything. Harry was glad Rin was so accepting of the fact that he was a shapeshifter, as long as he wasn't a pervert. The aqua-eyed girl reminded him so much of Hermione, it was painful. That same precociousness and bossiness, masking a caring heart.

They left by Portkey, and found that Waver and Iskandar had gone out shopping. Jeanne had sighed a sigh of relief at that. Harry knew that, while she was allied with the Rider Servant for pragmatic reasons, Jeanne detested his character. His skills, she had no fault with, but his attitude…

Harry could understand that. Iskandar was an ebullient and charismatic man, and it was easy to like him, but Jeanne wasn't wrong in her assessment of him, nor was Arturia. Iskandar was a greedy man who despoiled others, and while he certainly made people proud to be under his banner, there was no getting around the fact that he had a blind spot in some regards to the effects his conquests had on others.

He remembered discussing with Hermione the Ptolemaic Dynasty of pharaohs of Egypt, descended from one of Iskandar's generals, Ptolemy. Hermione and he were discussing the effects of inbreeding with Ron with regards to Purebloods in Magical Britain, and Hermione used the Ptolemaic Dynasty as an example, as well as the Hapsburgs. The Ptolemys were not only extremely inbred, more so than most Purebloods in Britain, but vicious in their infighting.

Iskandar didn't care about the fact that his empire didn't last much beyond his death. And while Harry did have a tendency to live for today like the burly conqueror, he also thought that not caring about whether one's legacy would survive for even a short time after one's death was wrong. One shouldn't obsess over it, true, but he did understand Arturia's disquiet. And while Iskandar had a strong point, that she shouldn't have martyred herself, well…Harry felt that her attitude to being a king were better than Iskandar's, or Archer, whom Jeanne said (according to Iskandar's guesswork) was Gilgamesh.

So caught up was he in thought while nursing a cup of tea in the Mackenzies' kitchen, that he nearly spilled the scalding liquid on himself when his mobile trilled. He answered it. "Hello?"

"_Mr Potter, it's Kirei Kotomine._"

Harry frowned. "Yes, Kirei? What's the matter? Are you ringing up to apologise for setting Assassin on us last night?"

"_I was doing so under orders from Tokiomi. Specifically, to try and force Iskandar to reveal his Noble Phantasm. I didn't enjoy doing so. In any case, that is not why I called you. I wanted to ask you a few questions._"

"Like what?"

"…_Kiritsugu Emiya. You've met him at least once, I know. I'm curious as to what your impressions of the man are._"

"Why do you ask?"

"…_Avenger saw right through me. While I will not regale you with the reasons she was, I will admit that I am searching for a reason to live, something that cannot be sated by religion. While speaking with Archer and Kariya Matou have been enlightening…I need more. Although I was granted the Command Seals by the Grail three years before, I did not know why it had chosen me, a hollow man, someone Avenger aptly called the walking dead. Learning the answer to that question has been the biggest reason for joining this Grail War. And then, Tokiomi spoke to me of Kiritsugu Emiya, the biggest enigma in this Grail War, and I found myself intrigued and puzzled by him. I am yet to find any insights into why such a ruthless man fights._"

"I honestly don't know either. But…I think he's someone who is a man who fights for justice, but makes himself a monster in order to do so. I don't know his wish, but he has a wife and a child. He seemed to indicate that, if it weren't for pragmatism, he'd have helped us find Caster or rescue Sakura."

"_I see._" The tone those two words were spoken in was a contemplative one. Then, he said, "_Thank you._"

"…Kirei…why do you want to know?" Harry asked softly.

There was a pause, before Kirei said, "_It'll have to wait_." And then, Harry heard a familiar rustling and chittering. "_Leaving aside the fact that I don't know you well enough to divulge something even my father doesn't know, there's an unwanted guest dropping in. Excuse me_…"

* * *

Kirei hung up the phone, and then looked to the swarm of bugs that soon coalesced into Zouken Matou. He had left the church and moved far enough away from it before making the call…but this was serendipitous. "Zouken Matou…or should that be Zolgen Makiri?"

The decrepit old man merely smirked. "And Kirei Kotomine…Risei's defective child. I wonder what the Potter boy would think of you if he knew how evil and twisted you truly were. I've lived a long life, after all, and I know what sort of person you are. Or perhaps I should tell your father? Hmm, well, as much as I would like to chat, I believe I have business with you. It seems you know where my wayward granddaughter is, as you are in contact with her kidnapper."

"Rescuer," Kirei corrected. "She was rescued from Caster. And I literally have no idea where she is. A wizard explained to me that it's a specific Bounded Field that hides a piece of information within a certain person's soul, and only they can reveal the secret to others. So even if I did know, and was not the Secret Keeper, I could not divulge it to you, no matter what you tried."

"…Then I think I shall divulge to Tokiomi Tohsaka about your betrayal," Zouken said, before clucking in mock disapproval, "It seems that we cannot trust the Church anymore. Not that we should have in the first place."

Kirei smirked, readying some Black Keys. In truth, Risei had communicated covertly with the Vatican on these matters, asking if authorisation to put paid to Zouken Matou and Tokiomi Tohsaka could be arranged. For now, Tokiomi would be left alone, as he was a combatant in the Holy Grail War, though after the Grail War…they would consider what to do with him then. In truth, he probably wouldn't get punished much by the Church if he survived this Grail War…beyond the Church helping his wife and children stay away from him.

Zouken Matou, however, was not a combatant. While Kirei wasn't to go out of his way to kill him, if Zouken made an attempt on the Kotomines or any attempt to breach the neutrality of the church they used as a haven, well…Kirei could deal with him. True, Zouken was five centuries old, and a Magus didn't get that old without being able to deal with threats. But Kirei relished the challenge. He was going to exorcise this worm-riddled walking cadaver, and banish him completely from this plane of existence.

And perhaps, just this once, he could actually take some pleasure in Zouken's suffering. Surely God would forgive him this one-time indulgence of his sadistic tendencies. The only bad thing was that said suffering would be over too soon…

**CHAPTER 22 ANNOTATIONS:**

**Well, a nice reunion between the shafted Tohsakas, and Zouken…yeah, he's fucked.**

**No numbered annotations this time.**


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